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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27981228">True Intentions</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetdreamz/pseuds/sweetdreamz'>sweetdreamz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alcohol, Anal Sex, Bad Flirting, Blood, COVID-19 Referencing, Canon-Typical Violence, Cigarettes, Cussing, Daddy Chill, Deep throat, Dirty Talk, Eventual Smut, Freak Shit Honestly, Hair-pulling, Haters getting their ass BEAT, Knifeplay, M/M, Minor Violence, Mirror Sex, Modern AU, Powerplay Dynamics, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Slurs, Smut, Tattoos, Violence, jail/prison mention</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:56:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>48,932</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27981228</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetdreamz/pseuds/sweetdreamz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"No one would know just from looking at him that the gross majority of his entire - and sizable - frame was covered in ink. An entirely personal endeavor. Tattoos covering scars, and scars covering tattoos, layers of triumphs and defeats, secret stories he never told anyone."</p><p>Kakuzu, a seemingly simple man, has lived the kind of life that you only hear stories about. The past few years have finally given him peace, but of course there's always some asshole that loves to shake shit up.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hidan/Kakuzu (Naruto)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>70</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>126</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chin Check</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>You ever think 2 urself 'hey i wish them dudes had tats?' yeah here u go</p><p>First fic ever , I regret NOTHING</p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>a real bruh moment</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kakuzu pulled into the unfamiliar bustling city grocery plaza, and swung his car in a space near the back of the lot. He knew parking near the front might seem convenient, but that's where the majority of accidents take place, he remembered reading. Certainly not a welcome expenditure if he could avoid it. His car, or SUV rather, was one of the major and few larger expenses in his life. Though somewhat dated and pre-owned, it was a reasonable price for a quality vehicle with moderate mileage. Ideal for inevitable snow and ice, while still decent for highway mileage, as he was coming from out of town.<em> 'Good on gas,'</em> he'd think to himself. <em>'Dependable.'</em></p>
<p>He put his car in park, and removed the keys from the ignition, and ended his phone's GPS coordination, ceasing his own thoughts of financial justification. It was always at the forefront of his thoughts. Kakuzu was proud and diligent with his finances, but it sometimes bordered on obsessive - he knew that very well. Since meager childhood to tumultuous adulthood, he knew money and your ability to utilize it was of the utmost importance. This very discipline had not only been his greatest asset, but the primary catalyst of negative consequences in his life. There was a time where he'd do anything for money, and more of it.<em> 'Even hell runs on money.'</em></p>
<p>As his car settled, he undid his seatbelt, and checked his phone for the time. Thursday, 9:34pm. It alerted him of the weather he was already well aware of. Frigged cold, layers of weeks of dirty snow, slush and ice. No more cheerful flurries of snow coming down. Just the cold, wet, icy and inconvenient aftermath of the beginnings of December winter. Despite just arriving in the city, it was no different than the weather he was faring back home just an hour earlier. Christmas was around the corner, the clear reason for the general optimism of the season despite the pandemic. Living alone with no relatives didn't promote to him the same joy it did for others, but he didn't generally dislike the holiday. No family meant no spending cash on gifts for others, which justified some spending this year on himself.<em> 'Good deals around this time of year too.'</em></p>
<p>Among Kakuzu's few, but revered passions, were tattoos. He'd amassed himself a pretty large quantity of them in his life, from all different places. Forearms to shoulders, chest to stomach, even his legs sprawling with dark black and grey tattoos, all connecting together. Nothing visible beyond collar-line, or wrists. No one would know just from looking at him that the gross majority of his entire - and sizable - frame was covered in ink. An entirely personal endeavor. Tattoos covering scars, and scars covering tattoos, layers of triumphs and defeats, secret stories he never told anyone. Sure, tattoo collecting didn't exactly fit his praxis for fiscal investment, but it was a shameless pleasure for which he worked hard to have extraneous income to invest in. <em>'They last forever, no harm in supporting the Arts.'</em></p>
<p>He opened his phone calendar to confirm his appointment for tomorrow. Friday at 10:00am, downtown at a renowned body art studio occupied by several nationally esteemed tattoo artists. He had booked a tattooist going by the pseudonym of "SBJ" on various social media platforms for an entire back-piece, scaling from his shoulders to lower back. He thought it was pretentious to demand such anonymity, but the artist's work spoke for itself. This artist was truly a savant in a league of their own - he had learned from his research - and deeply admired in the industry. There was minimal contact through text regarding the subject matter of his desired composition, but what little was discussed was professional while brief. He trusted that such a legendary artist wouldn't disappoint. Despite the hefty hourly price-point, Kakazu knew this was earned and warranted by their prowess. Also considering that this was his last sizable spot left to get tattooed, might as well appoint it to a master of the craft. A viral pandemic was certainly not the ideal circumstance to begin a large-scale body art piece, but this guy was booked out for 10 months - and no way was he losing his deposit. He was told to bring cash only, but he had paid the deposit through CashApp to somebody named Sasori. Maybe that was him.</p>
<p>He disengaged his phone's screen, and holstered it away in the side pocket of his dark jacket. He wrapped his key lanyard around his neck, and patted his pocket to confirm the presence of his wallet. He met his own pale green gaze for a moment in the dark in his rearview mirror, only his brows and eyes visible. He'd already donned his black face mask before leaving, grey hoodie beneath his jacket pulled up over his dark hair he'd loosely tied at the nape of his neck. It was sort of surreal being in the midst of a pandemic, but he did welcome the social acceptance of wearing a mask. They hid the deep scarring on his face. He wasn't self-conscious particularly, but he didn't much care for prolonged glances and shameless double takes at his appearance. Just how he hid his tattoos, he tried to keep his scars as equally confidential. <em>'Starting to get why that guy likes to remain anonymous.'</em></p>
<p>Not wanting to leave the warmth of his car, Kakuzu reluctantly stepped out, his sneaker swashing a pile of slush left by tire treads and footprints. He shut his car door and thumbed down the lock button on his key fob still around his neck, shutting his headlights off. The sky was black, with no stars, but the parking lot was lit with large street lamps and vehicles passing by. It was busier than his smaller town's store would be at this time of night. He buried his large hands in his coat pockets and took long strides toward the store entrance, splashing snow and slush around each step. His hood and mask kept his face warm, and he briefly considered buying himself boots one of these days for this type of weather. <em>'No need. These are fine.'</em></p>
<p>The store was bright and warm, stark opposite to the bleak parking lot, an expected relief. Kakuzu left his hood up, quickly grabbed a shopping basket, and set off to grab the few items he'd need for the weekend at his hotel. 'SBJ' had estimated some thirty to forty hours of work for this piece, usually able to operate between twelve and sixteen hours per day. This meant about three days worth of tattooing - the max he'd be able to go before needing to tap out for at least two weeks of healing. The artist recommended getting a near-by hotel for a long weekend, as driving a long distance after drilling your back with needles for the better part of a day served to be quite uncomfortable. Kakuzu, though tough, was experienced in tattoo aftercare, and decided that suffering the drive wasn't necessary and that he'd book the room in advance. He'd found a reasonable offer on a hotel since he'd booked ten months prior, despite the holiday rates. King bed and balcony for smoking. <em>'Continental breakfast too, that's a good deal,'</em> he remembered to himself. <em>'Saves on gas.'</em></p>
<p>Kakuzu knew he'd be ordering up to his hotel a bit as it only came equipped with a mini-fridge and microwave. He liked to consider himself a decent cook, one of those few passions he reserved over the years, but he'd already submitted to the idea that he'd be sampling some of the local cuisine over the next few days. Still, he'd need a few necessities to settle in for his little vacation. He threw some Gatorades in the basket, citing a three-for-five deal, some off-brand snacks, a small jar of ointment he'd need for tattoo aftercare. He wasn't sure how he'd apply it by himself. Kakuzu had been on his own for some time now - many years, in fact - friends and colleagues being a distant memory. He didn't mind being alone. It was quiet, peaceful, predictable. He remembered a time in his life when he'd been in a constant state of vigilance, a never ending observation of the motives of others. That lifestyle was mentally and physically taxing, and he was one of the few lucky enough to see the end of it. The past few years of solitude weren't isolation, it was freedom. He had grown fond of being under the radar. He had simply dismissed himself, and had grown quite comfortable being totally unnoticed.</p>
<p>"<em>HEY!</em> Big guy!"</p>
<p>Kakuzu blinked twice as he was totally noticed - very loudly - by someone down an aisle. He turned his head toward what was a short, silver-haired man standing in front of a shelf of liquor. He had adorned a black paisley bandana as a mask, with some stupid fur hood on a ridiculous leather jacket. His black jeans were torn at the knees and patched with what he assumed were band names or something, and a red flannel tied as a second thought around his waist. His worn-in boots were laced tight up his ankles and his hands were in black gloves with the fingers cut off. Kakuzu noticed that he had too many earrings and tattoos on what was visible of his fingertips, neck and forehead. <em>'Good luck getting a job with that shit on your face.'</em></p>
<p>"Hey!" the obnoxiously dressed man said again as he turned toward Kakuzu. "C'mere man, I can't reach this shit! Gimme a hand, would ya?"</p>
<p>Kakuzu gave the man a once-over again. He couldn't remember the last time a stranger initiated some type of interaction with him, much less requested something of him. He knew he was of intimidating stature, both tall and broad. He liked being outright avoided by people. But this guy? Just called him out in the middle of a store. Kakuzu guessed this guy must really need whatever was on the top shelf. It was kind of funny that this strange little man had to ask for help for such a reason. Kakuzu sighed and slowly made his way over. <em>'This is my good deed for the year.'</em></p>
<p>"Holy shit! Thanks man, I thought I'd never get it down! I swear they do this shit to me on fuckin' purpose!" the man mused as Kakuzu approached. "It’s right there, the only one left in the back!"</p>
<p>Kakuzu looked to where the man had directed, and located the bottle he had been referring to - Jack Daniel's Tennessee Fire - Cinnamon Liqueur.</p>
<p><em>'Disgusting.'</em> </p>
<p>He could easily reach the bottle, and gently palmed it to bring it down.</p>
<p>"Wow, you sure are big for an old guy!" the smaller man said. Kakuzu paused, bottle in hand. <em>'Old?!'</em></p>
<p>"I'm <em>thirty-four</em>..." he corrected, turning his eyes back to the silver-haired man.</p>
<p>"Yeah, that's what I said!" The short man punctuated his sentence with a laugh, and held his hand out to receive the bottle.</p>
<p>Kakuzu gave him his third once-over. He glanced at the man's out-stretched and semi-gloved hand, his stupid boots, and back up to what were the weirdest colored eyes he'd ever seen, beaming with anticipation for his gross alcohol. Despite the bandana covering his face, it was easy to tell he was smiling. There was some weird tattoo of a triangle in a circle above his eyebrow. He recognized it from somewhere, but couldn't place it. But it looked ridiculous.</p>
<p>
  <em>'Fuck this guy.'</em>
</p>
<p>Kakuzu placed the bottle into his own shopping basket and quickly breezed past the short man without another glance.</p>
<p>"Yo, <em>what</em> the FUCK, man?!" he called out, hands out-stretched and shocked in to one spot.</p>
<p>Kakuzu continued moving, and briskly strode to the registers. Knowing that he'd have no desire to drink this bullshit, he was still willing to spite-purchase it to teach that fucking punk a lesson. Old? Who the fuck does that kid think he is?</p>
<p>"HEY! I was just fucking with you dude, c'mon! Don't tell me you really are a crotchety old fuck!" The short man rounded the corner and followed Kakuzu up to the register he was placing his items at, blatantly ignoring him. This only riled him up further. "C'mon Grandpa, can't take a fucking joke?" Kakuzu seethed but didn't react.</p>
<p>"Hidan, quit harassing people," a tired woman at the register sighed, not looking up, "Don't make us kick you out again, hun." She sounded defeated, almost asking him, as she rang up the last of Kakuzu's few things, and replaced the basket behind the counter.<em> 'So that's this dumbass's name - Hidan? Stupid name.'</em></p>
<p>"Listen, that geriatric fuck stole<em> my</em> fucking whiskey, he's the one harassing <em>me</em>!" His slicked-back silver-blonde hair didn't move during his animated tirade. "-and who the fuck shops with a basket, huh? You some kind of <em>girl</em>?"</p>
<p>Kakuzu's eyes met with the cashier's - both of them shared a look of nothing but utter confusion at the statement, and they both glanced back at the increasingly angry man.</p>
<p>"What?" Kakuzu couldn't help but ask.</p>
<p>Hidan smirked under his bandana and nodded - he'd gotten him to take the bait, "Yeah, that's right, what kind of grown man needs a <em>basket</em> to buy shit, huh?!"</p>
<p>Kakuzu shook his head in disbelief, not understanding the school of thought here, and turned back to the cashier to receive his change, who sighed in apology. <em>'I'm not a fucking octopus?'</em></p>
<p>"Yeah, that's cuz you're a weak old man who can't carry shit, where's your fucking handler, you old prick?!"</p>
<p>Kakuzu's patience was running thin, and didn't appreciate the attention this Hidan guy's shit was garnering. He calmly placed his change and receipt in his wallet before accepting his single shopping bag from the cashier with a small nod. Kakuzu then turned sharply, and glared down his masked nose, a mere foot away from Hidan.</p>
<p>"This would be about the time I'd advise you to <em>fuck off.</em>"</p>
<p>Kakuzu was ordering more than suggesting. His voice was low, but stern and threatening. He couldn't remember the last time he spoke to someone like this, and it surprised him that he still could. It surprised him even more that he was rattled this much by someone so...small and annoying. He had never been one to succumb to antagonism, especially after all these years. Apparently he still had some kind of way with words however, as Hidan went silent. Despite his covered face, Kakuzu could assume he was slack-jawed and speechless. The cashier was likely wearing a matching expression.</p>
<p>Before he had a chance to pipe up again, Kakuzu was gone in a second, same long strides toward the exit as he had come in with, and he didn't hear Hidan's voice anymore.</p>
<p>He strode quickly through the parking lot, hands now in fists at his sides. Fuck that little bastard, dressing like an asshole and then acting like even more of one. What a mouth on him too, how disrespectful to carry on like that in public. And what the hell was he talking about with the baskets? What the fuck was that? Kakuzu cleared his throat and rolled his shoulders, letting off some tension as he briskly walked back to his car. He let out a deep breath, already feeling calmer from simply removing himself from the scene. He wouldn't go back to his old ways, especially not because of some immature little punk.<em> 'Kids these days don't know how to act. I'm not old.'</em></p>
<p>"<em>HEY!</em>"</p>
<p>Kakuzu turned on instinct and there he was - that very same immature little punk he had warned had followed him out to the parking lot. <em>'This guy's insane.'</em></p>
<p>"You think you can just say some scary ass bullshit at me and wander off? Fuck you! I want my fucking whiskey!"</p>
<p>Kakuzu was truly surprised at this much smaller, much louder, and probably much younger man marching right up to him without a bit of fear, mask down and brows knitted together. He honestly couldn't believe it. He couldn't remember a time where anyone had ever been so bold as to walk up to him in confrontation. He stood in place, in disbelief at the audacity, maybe even impressed at his sheer bravery. <em>'What's wrong with this guy.'</em></p>
<p>"I told you to fuck off, learn some respect," Kakuzu found his voice, less threatening but still stern.</p>
<p>"And I told you I want my fucking whiskey, Grandpa," Hidan was standing dangerously close to the larger man before him. In the lights, Kakuzu decided his eyes were almost purple.</p>
<p>"It's not your whiskey, I bought it." Even if it was in spite.</p>
<p>"I found it!"</p>
<p>"I picked it up."</p>
<p>"For <em>me</em>!"</p>
<p>"So why did it end up in my basket then?"</p>
<p>"Because you're an old fucking asshole!"</p>
<p>"And you're a disrespectful little punk."</p>
<p>"And <em>you</em> shop with a basket like a <em>QUEER!</em>"</p>
<p>Without thinking, Kakuzu cocked back a fist and jabbed it right in Hidan's nose. He almost immediately regretted this action when he saw the mixture of startled fear, shock and pain on Hidan’s face, accompanied with the sharp, almost scared yelp, and crack of nose cartilage he heard as he fell flat on his ass onto the wet snow of the parking lot. There was no retaliation, no defensive maneuver, just a weaker, much smaller man on his ass because his temper had gotten the best of him. Kakuzu felt guilt and remorse...but he’d be lying if he said it it wasn't pretty fucking satisfying.</p>
<p>"Aww...<em>FUCK</em>! God...<em>DAMNIT</em>!" Hidan held both hands to his face, but it didn't help the blood that immediately dripped down his chin onto the bandana pulled down around his neck and the snow between his legs.</p>
<p>Kakuzu quickly examined his fist and found it clear of marks, but fuck, his fingers hurt. He really didn't mean to hit him at all, and certainly not that hard.</p>
<p>Hidan drew his knees up and draped his elbows over them. He removed his bandana with one hand and held it to his leaking face, still sitting in the dirty snow of the parking lot. Despite the bandana being black, he could still see the fabric soaking up fresh blood. The new angle showed Kakuzu the tears running down his cheeks in the streetlights. Couldn't have been crying - he sounded way too angry.</p>
<p>"Mother <em>FUCKER</em>, you <em>ASS</em>hole...God <em>DAMN</em>, you old dudes hit hard..." Hidan carried on loudly, and for one of the first times in his life, Kakuzu wasn't sure what to do. He glanced up to his surroundings, and saw a couple of people had noticed the commotion, looking their way, and quickly turned on his heel. <em>'Not going back to jail for THIS shit.'</em></p>
<p>"Wait! W-wait a second!" Hidan barked. Kakuzu waited. <em>'Why am I waiting?'</em></p>
<p>Hidan spit blood on the ground and removed the soaking bandana from his nose from which the bleeding had just begun to slow. He mumbled a curse under his breath, unable to look up from the ground as his arms still perched on his knees, head hung low.</p>
<p>"Look, I'm sorry, okay? Just-just, wait a second, I'm sorry, <em>haha</em>-" Hidan's apology trailed off into laughter and shook his head. He spit blood again and continued chuckling to himself as he wiped the back of his wrist against his nose.</p>
<p><em>'He's fucking concussed.'</em> </p>
<p>Kakuzu looked around again, and internally scolded himself for being so brash. They have him on the cameras at the store. There's probably cameras in the fucking parking lot! He really fucked up this time, a Felony Assault charge was not in the books, much less a Manslaughter charge if this kid really did have brain damage. All because he couldn't keep his temper together because of some punk's attitude. All because he had to be spiteful and buy the last bottle of gross whiskey just to be a prick. Hell, this Hidan guy had every right to be pissed off at him. Now the guy's sitting on his ass in a parking lot with his face rearranged for sticking up for himself. He could only watch silently as Hidan slowly pressed down on a knee to lift himself up.</p>
<p>"Listen I-..I'm sorry man, I didn't mean to piss you off that bad," Hidan laughed to himself as he pushed himself the rest of the way up. "I'm <em>really</em> bad at flirting."</p>
<p>
  <em>'This is a crackhead.'</em>
</p>
<p>Kakuzu squinted and tilted his head at the younger man, yet again, stupefied. "What the hell did you just say?"</p>
<p>Another laugh from Hidan as he met eyes with Kakazu, face marred with red, smiling teeth pink with blood. "I'm just no good at hitting on dudes. I took that shit too far, huh?"</p>
<p>Kakuzu was clearly having issues processing what was being said. Absolutely none of the interaction between Hidan and himself since he'd come across him in the store just minutes ago had made any sense at all. This guy was just...chaos. Confusion. Recklessness. Kakuzu couldn't keep up with it. He had no idea what was coming next with his guy. Sure he was stupid and disrespectful, but did he really deserve to have is shit clocked like that?</p>
<p>"Well, maybe find a less aggressive and...confusing approach to...flirting." Kakuzu fumbled over his words, which might have also been another first.</p>
<p>"Yeah, haven't had any luck yet," Another low laugh from Hidan as he stuffed the bandana in his front pocket and went to turn away. "Maybe you're onto somethin', Grandpa,"</p>
<p>Kakuzu watched him carefully, and disregarded that comment. "Wait a second..." he said, hoping Hidan would also wait a second. He did.</p>
<p>He realized that he had kept a grip on his bag throughout the entire ordeal. He reached in and wordlessly thrust the controversial bottle of whiskey toward the smaller, but now much calmer man. It was the least he could do for rattling the guy's brain around...and to show his appreciation for the cops not being called.</p>
<p>"Sorry," Kakuzu quickly added to the gesture. "I hope it isn't...broken." <em>'It's broken.'</em></p>
<p>Hidan smirked as it was his turn to do a once-over. He gingerly accepted the bottle from the larger man and smiled. "Don't sweat it," he took a cigarette from the pack in his coat pocket and placed it in his mouth. "Not my first time being sucker punched." His eyes didn't leave Kakuzu's as he quickly flicked it to ignition with a lighter that emerged from the same pocket.</p>
<p>Kakuzu scowled, unimpressed as Hidan drew a breath of smoke in. His composure returning, he glanced at the bottle he just handed over. "Are you even old enough to drink that shit?"</p>
<p>"If you're asking if I'm legal, then yeah - I am." Hidan blew out a puff of smoke that drifted off thick and white into the air, smirk never leaving the side of his mouth. The pale man's bloody face and violet eyes on bright skin looked wild in the glowing white light of the parking lot.</p>
<p>Kakuzu, recognizing that he was being fucked with again, turned wordlessly toward his car that he quickly unlocked, and tossed his bag of chips and drinks to his passenger seat. <em>'All that bullshit for some fucking Gatorade.'</em></p>
<p>Hidan took a final look over his shoulder and took a drag of his cigarette. "Thanks for the booze, <em>stud.</em>" he blew out another puff of smoke and drifted off in between parked cars. Kakuzu caught the final remark, but immediately dismissed it.</p>
<p>He slammed his door and pushed his keys to the ignition, ignoring his seatbelt. He put his car in drive, and sped off, wanting to get away from...whatever the hell that just was.</p>
<p>He silently drove the 7 minutes to his hotel, attempting to limit his internal dialogue about the confrontation, barely noticing the active city traffic. He was disappointed in himself for engaging in such a petty way. He should have just given the guy his stupid fucking cinnamon liqueur and ignored him. What’s wrong with regular Jack Daniel’s? But no, this guy just had to push his buttons. Buttons he didn't even think he had anymore. Something's wrong with that guy, so confrontational, and disrespectful. He pulled into the parking garage of his hotel that he'd already checked in to. What the fuck was the deal with the basket? What an asinine comment. He snatched his bag of snacks from the passenger seat, and quickly made his way to the hotel lobby. And Kakuzu was certainly not old. He's not a young punk kid like that Hidan guy, that's for sure. And how the hell was any of that flirting? Kakuzu's head was spinning, trying to diagnose this situation. <em>'Little-Man Syndrome.'</em></p>
<p>Kakuzu pushed his keycard into his hotel door, and pushed it open to the simple, warm, and solitary room which was just the way he had left it. He was able to push the thoughts of whatever the hell just happened to the back of his mind as he entered a peaceful, sane and predictable space. He placed his bag on the empty desk next to the TV, not bothering to put his drinks in the fridge. Before he even touched the door handle, he had pulled down his mask and placed a cigarette in his mouth. He gripped a lighter in his hand as he made his way out toward the balcony. Kakuzu pulled the door shut behind him, lit up, and pulled in smoke he hadn't realized his lungs had been anticipating for what felt like hours.</p>
<p>He sighed out a heavy breath of smoke, made dense by the icy air, and leaned his elbows over the balcony railing. For the first time, Kakuzu took note of his outside surroundings. He was high up in a downtown sky-rise hotel. He hadn't even remembered the elevator ride up as he was so lost in thought. Still no stars in the black sky, but the twinkling city sparkled around him. Red and white lights from cars, glowing windows of tall buildings, neon signs, the distant sound of subways and car horns, and what maybe sounded like music. He didn't see or hear many people - he had almost forgotten that the world was in a pandemic. He wasn't sure before how anyone could find peace in a big city, but he could see how someone could appreciate this. Could just be the nicotine talking.</p>
<p>Kakuzu sighed again as he flexed his right hand and felt his fingers ache. They weren't broken, but they would certainly hurt worse in the morning. Great - just what he needed added on to the 30+ hours of needle torture he'd undergo this weekend. He took another drag of his cigarette before putting it out on the railing and placing the unfinished half back in his pack. He turned to head back inside, destined for a shower and bed.</p>
<p>He threw the TV on for background noise as he discarded his mask and shed his shoes, coat, hoodie and shirt. He looked at himself in the mirror above the desk in the soft light of the lamp sitting to its side, the first time seeing himself uncovered, naked from the waist up since this morning. He took his long hair down from his nape, and raked his hand through it, shifting it back off his forehead and cheeks and down his neck and back - he was reminded of how that Hidan guy's hair was, pushed back and off his face. He continued to examine his features, his broad and tattooed chest and shoulders. He remembered the tattoo above Hidan's eyebrow. How he had called him a stud. He pulled himself away from the mirror abruptly.</p>
<p>
  <em>'I'm not old.'</em>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>The sun was as bright as springtime but as cold as winter gets when Kakuzu had started walking the downtown street. The tattoo studio was a grand total of two city blocks away from where he was lodging. He thanked himself again for spending extra for the hotel which made this morning that much easier. He'd slept restlessly in an unfamiliar bed, but he got his fill of the free breakfast and it was an easy five minute walk to his destination. Four minutes with his speed. <em>'Not into dawdling.'</em></p>
<p>Friday morning traffic was heavy but smooth, and the city seemed to move along as it normally would despite the current health crisis. A couple of people in masks walked on either side of him, giving plenty of distance from each other. Everyone seemed busy. The cold air was dry and brittle. He could see his breath fogging even outside of his mask as he strode down the street. Further down the block, he saw the yellow and red sign for the studio lit up and flashing in old-fashioned marquis bulbs. He raised his brows. <em>'Subtle.'</em></p>
<p>
  <em>"Akatsuki Tattoo Studio and Art Collective"</em>
</p>
<p>Kakuzu was almost nervous to approach, as he was always on guard in new environments. Old habits and conditionings, even though he knew he’d always be the most intimidating presence in most circumstances. Regardless, this city was apparently notorious for nut-jobs, given his experience at the store just last night. It seemed like such a silly memory at this point. He grinned behind his mask and shook his head. Just a funny story to tell now. To whom, he did not know. Maybe he'd tell the artist if they were the type to find those tales humorous. He slowed his pace as he reached the heavy double-glass doors of the studio, and pulled one open with his uninjured hand.</p>
<p>Inside was a surprisingly large and immaculate lobby. In his left peripheral, he noticed a rather posh seating area with a marble coffee table full of art books and a mounted flat screen television in front of floor-to-ceiling panes of glass to match the doors. There was a tremendous amount of art displayed on massive walls created by the vaulted ceiling. Paintings and canvases as big as his hotel bed were mounted all the way up the walls, as large elaborate sculptures were suspended from the high ceiling by invisible clear wire. Fancy light fixtures dangled alongside them, and he wondered if he was at the right place for a moment. He was surprised at how warm it was inside the glassy building, taking note of a minimalist fireplace smoldering near the plush couches. Sitting directly before him at an equally fancy desk was a guy with long blonde hair, half of it piled on top of his head, bangs shifted over to the side. He was wearing a mask but Kakuzu could tell he was smiling just by looking in his wide black-rimmed eyes.</p>
<p>"Hey there," the blonde chirped. Kakuzu noticed how his voice echoed off the sprawling interior. "You're the 10 o'clock back-piece, yeah?"</p>
<p>Kakuzu nodded once, and let his eyes trail around the lobby as the man at the desk looked toward the sleek iPad propped up with a just-as-sleek keyboard. Was this SBJ? Not what he expected, but then again, he didn't know what to expect at all. <em>'Guess I'm in the right place at least.'</em></p>
<p>"Kakuzu, yeah? Right on time. I'm Deidara," He continued without waiting for Kakuzu to respond, and cheerfully looked up from the iPad toward him "He's been talking about this piece all week!"</p>
<p>"Is that right?" Kakuzu was unsure of what to say, still feeling out of his element, still scanning the rather eclectic establishment. <em>'Well, guess that's not him.'</em></p>
<p>"Yep, I'll go let him know you're here. Feel free to chill out, and admire some of my work while you're at it!" the blonde cheekily pointed up to the massive sculpture of what appeared to be some kind of prehistoric bird, and made his way down the hall and twisted a corner. Kakuzu was left to behold the sculpture and what appeared to be its accompanying pieces. He wondered too who had done the large paintings, each its own different and particular style. He could tell at least one of them was a large painting by SBJ - the graphic imagery and bold composition unmistakable. <em>'Impressive.'</em></p>
<p>He then noticed something in the bottom-right corner of the piece. An insignia, simple linework, he recognized it. <em>'Wait...'</em></p>
<p>Kakuzu heard a set of footsteps behind him echoing down the hall from which Deidara disappeared down. He turned and saw a small red-headed kid, couldn't have been older than eighteen, walking toward him. Despite the surgical mask, he recognized him to be Sasori just from the eyes and hair - the one he sent the deposit to.</p>
<p>"Welcome," he spoke gently. "Hope you don't mind the clutter, Deidara has been focusing on interior design a little more than his tattoos recently, but that's just the trait of a beginner."</p>
<p>Deidara wasn't far behind him walking back up the hall, not glancing up from his phone. "Some of us are multi-talented, Sasori-sweetie, that's just the trait of an <em>artist</em>." He quickly reseated himself at the front desk, thumbs tapping away at the screen in his hand. Distracted from his thoughts, Kakuzu appreciated the grace and wit the guy displayed in dismissing his colleague's smart comment. Sasori breathed in through his nose sharply, and redirected his attention to Kakuzu.</p>
<p>"So you're the back-piece?" Kakuzu, once again, nodded.</p>
<p>"Are you-?" Kakuzu was cut off by a small laugh from Sasori.</p>
<p>"No, I'm not. He really is a pain with his anonymity thing. It's nothing more than tax evasion. We've told him to figure out his financials so he can go on the grid and stop mandating me as his deposit holder, but he might lack the brain power to do so."</p>
<p>Deidara nodded and made a noise in his agreement, still not looking up from his phone, lightly spinning himself in his chair with his foot.</p>
<p>
  <em>'Well, not him either.'</em>
</p>
<p>"But not to worry - you're in great hands," Sasori redacted, assuring the competency of his fellow artist. "Speaking of which, has he been out to greet you yet?"</p>
<p>Kakuzu, again, couldn't answer before Deidara spoke up. "<em>Ugh</em>, no, he's so rude," Deidara briefly held his phone down, and breathed in deeply.</p>
<p>"HI<em>DAAAAAAN!</em>" he hollered deafeningly, his surprisingly loud voice amplified to a nearly horrific reverberation that audibly shook the entire building. He immediately repositioned his phone and continued tapping away. Sasori didn't blink.</p>
<p>Kakuzu felt his heart drop through his stomach. <em>'He did not just say-'</em></p>
<p>"Jesus <em>fuck</em>, you gotta stop hollering like that Dei, I swear to God you're going to actually shatter the fuckin' glass in this place-" That was his voice.</p>
<p>He had his mask pulled down around his chin, and Kakuzu could see his under-eyes marked purple, a small band-aid across his nose. It was him.</p>
<p>
  <em>'Fuck no...'</em>
</p>
<p>Hidan barked out a laugh, and braced his hands on his hips, smile as bright as the sun outside.</p>
<p>“Hey there, <em>stud</em>.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Catch Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Why this loud white-haired fella so convincing??</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> ‘Hell no.' </em>
</p><p>Shock along with anger was the only discernible look in Kakuzu's light green eyes. He went still and rigid - holding his breath behind his mask, his hands in tight fists at his side. He sorely took in the unwelcome reappearance of Hidan with speechless outrage. </p><p>
  <em> 'Oh, HELL no.' </em>
</p><p>Deidara moved to at least glance up from his phone to observe the unfolding tension with curious eyes, stopping his chair with his foot. Sasori swiveled his head back to Kakuzu and tilted his head, blinking eerily. "Ah, so you know each other." He spoke it softly, more as a leading question.</p><p>Hidan laughed, his feral purple eyes locked tight onto Kakuzu before him. "Oh yeah," He smirked connivingly. "You could say that." </p><p>Deidara refocused his attention on Kakuzu and looked him up and down with quiet anticipation. All eyes were on him as Hidan shifted his weight to one leg.</p><p>"This is the guy you can thank for my little make-over here," Hidan crossed his arms and tilted his chin up, eyes not straying from Kakuzu's for a second.</p><p>Kakuzu could see the bruising under his eyes almost looked black against his pale skin. There was that symbol he had pieced together from memory above his eyebrow. </p><p>Deidara quickly looked back to Hidan, while Sasori's red eyebrow barely raised as he took in Kakuzu's nonexistent reaction.</p><p>Hidan snorted at Kakuzu, "Your hand has <em> got </em> to be fucking aching, huh?" Hidan’s eyes seemed to flicker brighter than before. It <em> was </em> fucking aching.</p><p>Deidara twirled back in his seat to face Kakuzu. "Holy shit, no <em>way</em>!" Deidara leaned his full attention forward on the desk to Kakuzu in morbid fascination. Kakuzu could tell even out of the corner of his eye that his smile had returned under his mask. "I gotta buy you a drink for that one, man!"</p><p>"Get your own client, asshole." Hidan tossed at Deidara, eyes still sealed to Kakuzu's.</p><p> Kakuzu could feel the other two men observing him to his left and right, in both inquisition and admiration - three-too-many spectators for his liking. Deidara quipped something back toward Hidan, and Kakuzu watched Sasori tilt his head at him in the other direction. Kakuzu noticed from the corner of his eye that the red-head didn't blink enough. </p><p>
  <em> 'Fuck it.' </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu found his footing, and broke the stalemate, metaphorically disengaging their locked horns, and spun on his heel toward the door. His long strides had him at the large brushed-metal handle in a second, and he pushed it open and flew down the street in the same direction he had come. Fuck the deposit, fuck the tattoo, and fuck this guy.<em> 'No way I'm letting that moron touch me.' </em></p><p>He didn't remember ever walking so fast in his life. The air outside didn't feel as cold as it had just a few minutes ago before he had walked into the studio. His face felt a lot hotter now. The weather was dry, it made everything look like it had a thin layer of chalk on it. His hands stayed clenched into fists, balled at his sides. He cursed under his breath. This was <em> unreal</em>, this whole thing was the most stupid situation he'd ever gotten himself into he'd thought, citing that he'd never come back to this bullshit city ever again. <em> 'What a waste of fucking money.' </em></p><p>"<em>HEY!</em> Wait a second!" he heard a familiar voice call out. He stopped, and waited.</p><p>
  <em>'Why the FUCK am I waiting.' </em>
</p><p>He turned his head just over his shoulder, and saw Hidan jogging up to him. He hadn't expected Hidan to chase after him, but then again, he hadn't expected it last night either.</p><p>"C'mon man, don't be like that, I've been working on this shit for months!" Hidan practically pleaded, stopping just a decent distance from him. "It's no hard feelings, I even apologized after <em>you</em> punched <em>me</em> in the face!" Hidan laughed and held his arms out to signify his submission in this standoff.</p><p>Kakuzu turned to face him, and actually gave notice to his entire appearance this time, with a more suspicious eye. Hidan wasn't dressed as annoyingly as he was the night they'd first encountered one another. A thin white cotton V-neck was loose on his frame, along with slim-fitted light-washed denim distressed at the knees. Casual slip-on sneakers replaced the boots from before. Hidan pulled the hood of a thin black unzipped sweatshirt up as he quickly dug out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and quickly lit up, huddling his shoulders together in a futile attempt to keep warm.</p><p>He glanced back up at Kakuzu, starting to shiver, allowing his cigarette to loom from the corner of his mouth as he dug both naked tattooed hands back into his hoodie pockets. Kakuzu saw his neck and chest were covered in similar colorful and bold designs, and there was that same shape above his right brow on a silver pendant around his neck. An upside-down triangle in a circle. What the hell was that about?</p><p>Hidan spoke up again between puffs of his cigarette, standing in the middle of the sidewalk, clearly freezing in ill-suited clothing for the weather he'd just run out into. "What do I gotta do, man?" He shrugged his stiffened shoulders as best as he could to annunciate his genuine question. He quickly puffed his cigarette again as if it would warm him from the inside. Kakuzu noticed his battered face even more in the sunlight, and while it looked painful, at no point did it look pitiful.</p><p>"You're unstable." Kakuzu heard his own voice bark out. He noticed Hidan smile, who then looked down at his shoes somewhat sheepishly, the only part of him that wasn't shivering at this point.</p><p>"Yeah, no shit," Hidan chuckled. "But you came to me for a reason, right?"</p><p>"That was before I knew you were insane." Kakuzu shifted his body back around to continue on his path of self-dismissal.</p><p>Hidan took a step forward, "Look, I'm sorry I was an asshole okay," His voice began to shake in the cold despite his ever-present grin. "At least come in and look at what I've got for you."</p><p>Kakuzu looked back toward the studio. While he couldn't see Sasori, he could clearly make out Deidara standing at the glass watching their scene unfold, gawking shamelessly.</p><p>"You came all this way, right?" Hidan drew Kakuzu's attention back to him. "Look, if you don't like what you see, you can have your deposit back, alright?"</p><p>Kakuzu considered his offer, and did the quick financial configuration in his head out of habit. He could, at the very least, get a reimbursement on this fucking shit-show. Maybe he'd be able to check out of the hotel early and bail out with more than he thought he would when he swiftly exited the establishment a moment ago. It was worth a shot. <em> 'Better not be fucking with me again.' </em></p><p>Kakuzu blinked twice. "Alright."</p><p>"<em>YES</em>, alright, <em>Jesus</em>, let's go, it is fucking freezing out here!" Hidan turned on a dime, almost running back toward the studio without waiting to confirm if Kakuzu was really following or not. He snatched the unfinished cigarette from his mouth, and flicked it away into the street without looking at that either. But in the split second before he turned back toward the building, Kakuzu caught Hidan's smirk turning into a victorious smile.</p><p>
  <em> 'This is probably a mistake.' </em>
</p><p>As they both approached the building, Deidara went to open the door for the two of them to enter. Hidan sped through, first going to the fireplace, and Kakuzu followed hesitantly behind him as Deidara continued his amused stare up at him. Kakuzu noted that he was even shorter than Hidan as he let the door shut behind them.</p><p>Hidan kept his hood up as he crouched to the fireplace and held out his hands for warmth. His face held a warm orange glow from the flames, and his violet eyes seemed less confrontational, Kakuzu noticed for just a moment. Sasori was seated on one of the large couches, briefly looking up from a pad of drawing paper. Deidara spoke up first.</p><p>"He wouldn't tell us what happened, just that '<em>we should see the other guy </em>,'" he laughed as he crossed his arms over his chest, directing his attention back to Hidan. "And now that we have, it's no surprise that he's full of shit, as always!"</p><p>"We don't need the fuckin' commentary Dei, don't you have anything productive to do?" Hidan rubbed his hands together. He scowled, not looking away from the fire while he stood up to his full height. Deidara chuckled again, unbothered, and made his glance back up to Kakuzu.</p><p>"Really, man, big fan of your work," Deidara joked with him about the battering on his colleague's face. He mimicked a chef's kiss with his fingers in front of his mask, and moved to replace himself at the desk. "<em>Just </em> magnificent."</p><p>Kakuzu, again, appreciated the disarming quick wit of the blonde, but didn't show it as he moved his eyes back toward the lobby. Sasori had already shifted his eyes back down to the drawing he continued working with. He had already disengaged with what he clearly decided to be none of his business, despite his simple presence to be somewhat chilling. </p><p>Hidan glared toward Deidara who was already busy with the phone in his hands again. He redirected his attention to Kakuzu, still looming somewhat menacingly in the entrance.</p><p>"Well, come on in, stay a while," Hidan gestured his arm in a come-hither motion as he started toward the short hallway. Kakuzu saw that Hidan made sure to flip off Deidara to his right as he made his way - Deidara simply blowing a kiss back. Kakuzu warily followed, and felt the blonde's eyes on him, almost sizing him up.</p><p>
  <em>'Bunch of fucking freaks.' </em>
</p><p>The building, while tall and narrow, went back far, with open and shut doorways, giving Kakuzu a glimpse into the various rooms of what he assumed to be the private studios of other artists. They were numerous, giving him the impression that others he hadn’t seen yet might reside here as well. There was still plenty of artwork on the spacious walls and doors even, showcasing more of the expansive culmination of artists. It was possibly more gallery than tattoo shop, definitely consistent to the term of Art Collective.</p><p>Hidan pushed open the ajar door the rest of the way with an elbow to what was clearly his studio space. The door was painted black, and the large triangle-circle symbol haphazardly painted on in white. Above, in wild freehanded Old English lettering was the moniker - "SBJ." This really was him. Unfortunate.</p><p>"Make yourself at home." Hidan beckoned as he held his arm out for Kakuzu to enter first, which he did with reluctance. </p><p>Though windowless, it was a lot larger than he thought it'd be. The first thing he noticed was the massive amount of artworks plastered on what seemed like every square inch of vertical space. Papers, canvases, prints, all ranging from small to massive. Sketches, pencil, ink, and marker, paints from both brushes and spray cans, all held up with tape, nails, thumbtacks, all layering atop of one another. It was a nearly overwhelming visual. Not all of it was just the work of SBJ. Some if it was from other artists, or just reference material, hand-made event flyers, even random lists - but most was definitely his.</p><p>A large desk sat in the far right corner with just as many papers and sketch books scattered with artwork and designs. Pen and pencils, paint brushes and markers all stuffed into cups, some laying wherever. Random items were displayed - a stickered-up lamp, a cracked iPad with an accompanying charger, an old coffee maker, and a human skull with nonsense scribbled on it. </p><p>Kakuzu's eyes drifted up to the shelves above, piled with books - topics ranging from astrology, Greek myths, human anatomy, to even poetry - all stuffed with extra notes and pages. A few animal skulls, geodes and rocks, multiple knives of different sizes, and candles in various states of use accented their placement. He noted dice, shell casings, coins, an incalculable number of obscurities spread everywhere. How could someone focus on getting anything done in a disastrous workspace?</p><p>
  <em> ‘Clearly deranged.’ </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu noticed a very large wide mirror on the left-hand wall, at least a foot taller than him, littered with stickers and polaroid pictures. One of the photographs, black and white, was of a candid and grinning Hidan, flipping off the camera, with a small plastic cup of what was sure to be alcohol in his other hand. Below that, one in color, a large group of people on a roof somewhere. He recognized 3 of them to be Sasori, Deidara, and Hidan. He considered that it was taken on the roof of this building.</p><p>He brought his attention to the middle of the room, where a distinct tattoo bed, stool, and large tool box stood. He recognized the tattoo machinery and a large flexible lamp moved up and away for the time being. His eyes trailed lower and noticed the wood floor had the same white insignia with a triangle and circle painted around it, like some kind of sacrificial sigil. Kakuzu rolled his eyes.</p><p>
  <em> 'What a fuckin' prick.' </em>
</p><p>"Go on, sit down, lemme get my shit together." Hidan said reluctantly, moving toward his desk. Kakuzu didn't feel much like sitting, but he had a feeling it would be insisted. He saw a large plush chair he hadn't yet seen to his immediate left, backed against the wall. He leerily took his seat, and crossed his arms over his chest, lightly tapping his foot in impatience. <em> 'Let's get this shit over with.' </em></p><p>Hidan grabbed a black mug from his shelf of nonsense, and poured himself a cup from the coffee pot on his desk. Kakuzu audibly sighed as he let his eyes drift around the disordered studio once more, citing a stereo and television mounted to the right wall that he was able to see cleary with his new vantage point. He knew Hidan was going to drag this out as long as he could.</p><p>Kakuzu's attention was directed back to where Hidan was at his desk. He'd opened a drawer, and Kakuzu blinked and watched incredulously as Hidan retrieved the bottle of Jack Daniel's - Cinnamon fucking Liqueur. </p><p>
  <em> 'Unbelievable.' </em>
</p><p>Hidan twisted off the cap, and poured at least 3 seconds worth into his coffee. Hidan sensed a glare, and turned his eyes to Kakuzu, seething in the armchair. Hidan only smiled, and turned back to his mug.</p><p>"What, you don't drink coffee in the morning?" Smile still present as he looked away, replacing the cap. Kakuzu noticed the clear bottle was barely half full despite the few ounces just poured.</p><p>"You know that shit was expensive, right?" Kakuzu said on first instinct. Hidan sharply turned his face toward him and smiled again.</p><p>"Funny - I don't remember anybody telling you to buy it." He watched Hidan wordlessly as he replaced the bottle in his drawer and blew the steam from the drink as he leaned against his desk. Kakuzu resumed tapping his foot, arms still tight across his chest.</p><p>"How can you even drink that anyway? What's wrong with regular Jack Daniel's?" Kakuzu decided to share the thought he had last night about it. He certainly wasn’t against casual drinking, and he’d fancied himself a whiskey drinker too. He still changed the course of the conversation as he wasn't sure how to follow up Hidan's frank but true statement.</p><p>"Nothing." Hidan shook his head in agreement, raising his eyebrows, and looked down at his mug again. He looked back up at Kakuzu, a small smile at the corner of his mouth again. "Here."</p><p>Hidan made the short way across his studio floor intent on giving the mug to Kakuzu, who immediately shook his head.</p><p>"<em>Hell </em> fucking no," Kakuzu said, glaring at the mug while turning his face away in disgust.</p><p>"Oh, c'mon, you're the one bitching about how much it was - at least try it." Hidan held the warm cup, still steaming, toward him.</p><p>"You're out of your mind, you know that?" Kakuzu remained indignant, arms still crossed, staring back up at Hidan.</p><p>"Yeah, we've established that, now fucking try it, tough guy." Hidan didn't budge.</p><p>Kakuzu's eyes moved from Hidan's, to the mug, back to Hidan who waggled his eyebrows down at him. Kakuzu knew his refusal would only prolong this bullshit. It still astounded him that Hidan was so unaffected by his intimidation. Kakuzu rolled his eyes, and moved to take the mug from Hidan's ink-marked grip into his own, uninjured left hand. <em> 'Why the hell is this guy so convincing?'</em></p><p>Hidan grinned wide as he watched Kakuzu sigh, and pull down his mask and hood around his neck. He peeked in the cup, displeased, and back up to Hidan, maintaining his unimpressed look. Hidan was able to gaze on to Kakuzu's face beyond his eyes and scowling brows for the first time. Hidan's eyes flitted to and from the older man’s features - dark long strands of hair framing his intense face, straight nose, sharp cheeks, and even sharper jaw. His deep tanned skin made his eyes look that much greener. He noticed deep, large scars from the corners of his mouth, almost reaching his ears, and small indentations framing them formed by what he could tell were insertion-points of large suturing. Hidan had never seen anything quite like it, but it was certainly a deliberate injury. How curious...</p><p>Kakuzu chose to ignore Hidan's shameless staring at his face, and took an audible sip from the cup. He moved his tongue around in his mouth and over his teeth, and looked back down at the cup as he immediately tasted the rich, hot, spicy concoction Hidan had held him hostage with. The balance between coffee and cinnamon brought heat to his cheeks and he could feel just the sip start to warm him from the throat down. He licked his lips and lowered the mug. <em> 'Damn...' </em></p><p>"...'pretty good." Kakuzu couldn't lie. It really wasn’t bad warm with black coffee. Hidan giggled, looking particularly pleased with himself, and before Kakuzu could hand back the mug, he had turned around and had moved to seat himself at the rolling stool at his desk, and looked away to repour a replacement mug of his signature drink for himself.</p><p>"So, when I said I've been working on this for months, I wasn't fuckin' kidding," Hidan started. "I mean, I always spend a lot of time on everything I do, but this was the most excited I've been for a piece all year, I'm not shitting you. Big pieces on backs and chests are my favorite, but they don't book nearly as often as I'd like." Hidan took a sip-test from his fresh mug, and set it down. Kakuzu watched him quickly move around his desk lifting papers and books looking for something. His organizational skills clearly needed improvement. Despite his sporadic movements, Hidan continued. Hard to believe he was almost knocked out cold just last night.</p><p>"Most of the time I'm doing whole arms and legs, which is great and all, but when I get to do the big stuff, that's where I can really get the fuck down." Hidan had his back to him now, rifling around on his desk. "And when you had the idea with the four masks? I had never heard of anything like that before, but shit, was that fucking<em> cool </em>. I could tell you really knew what you were talking about when you told me what you wanted, and I was so stoked you picked me for it. This really has the potential to be my favorite piece yet dude, just <em>wait</em> 'til you see this."</p><p>Kakuzu heard how excited Hidan was, gushing about not only his excitement for the piece in general, but the admiration for his own idea and subject matter. He almost started to feel bad that he had come back solely with the purpose of dismissing Hidan and recouping his deposit. Yeah, Hidan was antagonistic and unpredictable, but he was talented and passionate. Feeling conflicted, he watched Hidan find what ended up being the remote control for the TV that he was searching for, and pressed its power button. He rolled his stool back toward the desk, and grabbed his broken iPad and began to tap away as the TV powered up. He must have done the artwork on the tablet and would display it on the large television screen for them to review. Kakuzu knew this type of digital art was becoming a popular medium in the industry.</p><p>Hidan stood, eyes moving from TV to cracked iPad in hand and motioned for Kakuzu to stand next to him. His tongue was between his teeth, resting on his upper lip, working to get his design up on the screen for them both to see.</p><p>Kakuzu obliged him with a light sigh, and rose from the armchair, mug of hot coffee and whiskey still in hand. He moved to stand to the right of Hidan, now able to see the TV in full view. The screen was still blank, but Hidan was still tapping away.</p><p>"Now, I'm a man of my word," Hidan didn't look to Kakuzu yet. "I told you that if you didn't like what you see, then I'd refund your deposit - which I <em>never</em> fuckin' do - even though I worked weeks on this shit." He finished his configurations, and turned a sideways glance to Kakuzu to his right.</p><p>"But trust me," yet another confident smirk from Hidan. ''You're gonna like it." Another press on the screen of the iPad, and the TV screen booted up to display the work he had done for him.</p><p>Kakuzu knew whatever SBJ would work up for him would be outstanding. He was impressed by everything he had seen by the artist, both in person and online. This guy was the real deal, in a league all his own, and there was no doubting that the design displayed before him was crafted by that same talent. The expectations Kakuzu had were exceeded, noting that all aspects from the detail to the composition were immaculate. The black and grey imagery of the four masks was clear, each characterized in their own elemental style, all complementary and cohesive. The background, while simple, was still bold and well-balanced to the overall design. Kakuzu felt almost honored to be the only one appointed to wear it forever.</p><p>Kakuzu sensed Hidan leaning over to his desk to place down the iPad and recovered his own drink, and heard him take a long sip as he observed along with Kakuzu at his own work on the screen. This reminded him that the absolutely dysfunctional and utterly infuriating man next to him was, in fact, the legendary SBJ. It was almost inconceivable to combine the two - one being a nuanced professional, the other being a noisy dickhead. He could sense Hidan needling at him for a response with a smile to his side. Kakuzu's eyes still darting around the truthfully stunning work before him, feeling more conflict than before about the idea of just walking out with his cash like it never even happened. Could he really trust such an erratic, unstable person? Was it even worth it at all?</p><p>
  <em> 'Fuck it.' </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu blinked. He took a deep breath in, and brought his cooling drink to his lips and took a larger sip than before. He made a small grimace at the taste as he started to nod, not looking away from the screen.</p><p>"Alright," Kakuzu sighed out. "Gonna be a long three days."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Green Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>hidan is a mess but that's showbiz baby</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You're goddamn <em>right</em> it's gonna be a long three days! Hope you're as tough as you look!"</p><p>Hidan didn't skip a beat as he clapped Kakuzu on his shoulder, almost causing his drink to splash over the side if he wasn't quite as solid. Kakuzu blinked in surprise and furled his brows at the gesture, glancing back at Hidan. <em> 'This is already pissing me off.' </em></p><p>"Alright," Hidan took a hurried swig of his own drink, and placed it back on his desk. "I'll go grab the stenciling, you pop that top off and we'll crackin'!"</p><p>Hidan bounced out of his studio space down the hall. Kakuzu moved to face the armchair where he set his mug down on the table to its side, and placed his mask next to it. He sighed as he unzipped his hoodie, and half-folded it to be placed in the chair. He grabbed at the back of the neck of his dark grey t-shirt, and pulled it over his large shoulders, letting it settle in a pile on top of his discarded sweatshirt. He was left standing in his black athletic pants and sneakers, and wondered just how far he'd need to push the waistline down for Hidan to access his back.<em> 'He's not gunna see my ass, I'm drawing the fuckin' line.' </em></p><p>Kakuzu turned to the large mirror and observed himself in the well-lit studio, examining his own heavily-inked figure as he did the night before in his hotel. He still hoped that he wasn't making a mistake with this while he pulled his hair out of the loose bun at his nape. He raked his hand through his dark hair and let it fall down his back and chest. </p><p>Just as he took down his hair, he heard footsteps, and turned back to face the door just as Hidan entered. His attention was faced down at several blue-lined stencils in his hand.</p><p>"So for these bigger pieces, it's always about getting perfect dimensions, so the masks are all cut separate, and I'm gonna freehand the background so we can get a..." Hidan looked up and lost his train of thought. "...<em>perfect fit</em>..." his voice trailed off into the air.</p><p>Kakuzu stood before him shirtless, tattooed, and...<em> hot.</em> Hot as <em> hell. </em> Hidan couldn't think of anything else that was particularly eloquent to say. This man was huge - tall with broad shoulders. His body was effortlessly built, despite his hulking stature, and Hidan wondered what it would feel like to be grabbed up by his naturally massive arms. His eyes couldn't help but shamelessly wander his frame, gawking at the spectacle of black and grey imagery portrayed across the entirety of the man's tanned chest, stomach, ribs, and arms. He noticed striking linework, stitches, all across his chest and forearms, snaking around in and through skin and tattoos like he was a patchwork doll. He wondered if the rest of the body covered in pants was just as tattooed.</p><p>"Well, fuck me sideways, aren't <em> you </em> fun to look at..." Hidan thoughtlessly muttered under his breath. Kakuzu was absolute eye-candy to the young tattoo artist, and he was powerless to the sight before him.</p><p>"What?" Kakuzu interrupted him sharply, only half-hearing the comment. He moved his arms up and behind his head to re-tie his hair more securely at the nape of his neck giving Hidan a new look at the back of his strong arms. His brows knotted in his usual irritated fashion.</p><p>"I said you weren't lying when you said you had a lot of tattoos..." Hidan changed the subject, wide eyes still flitting over Kakuzu, and he swallowed deeply to remind himself to close his gaping mouth.</p><p>Kakuzu turned toward the mirror again, showing his deep-tanned back, a broad and empty canvas, to the artist. Hidan met eyes with him in the mirror. Small straight tresses fell from his loosely tied hair and framed his sharp and serious face and left Hidan speechless.</p><p>"Yeah, but plenty of space for you back here." Kakuzu flatly referred to the expanse of his back.</p><p>Hidan wordlessly moved up behind him to examine the flesh before him. He took note of how his skin, while free of ink, had been marked, almost carved with scars. They weren't really visible until he was up-close, but this was definitely someone who had been through plenty of physical traumas. Hidan couldn't help but reach out and touch one of his sizable shoulder-blades where a light indent of one of the scratches were. Kakazu barely, but certainly flinched.</p><p>"Are they, uh, gonna be fine to work over?" Kakuzu asked to break the tension he was feeling, referring to what Hidan was clearly examining. His fingertips tracing lightly toward his spine almost tickled him.</p><p>"Oh, yeah, it's no problem...yeah, just fine....<em>perfect</em>..." Hidan spoke again listlessly, almost whispering, entranced by the body before him. The stenciling held loosely in his left hand almost slipped through his fingers as he forgot for a moment that he was supposed to be getting started on a tattoo. What stories do these scars hold?</p><p>"Your hand goes any lower, I'll break it, and you'll have to figure out how to use your left hand." Kakuzu said, breaking the spell he didn't intend to to cast in the first place. He'd broken bigger bones on many different men for much less. He still wouldn't admit out loud how surprised he was at Hidan's overt boldness. 'Fucking<em> pervert.' </em></p><p>Hidan snorted and blinked. "How do you know I'm not, uhh, what's that word? Ambi-..am-<em>ambidextrous</em>, huh?" He caught the word he was thinking of, and started to shift through the stenciling in his hand.</p><p>"I'm surprised that you have enough brain power to work even one of your hands." Kakuzu was still as Hidan raised a stencil up to figure the blocking.</p><p>"You'd be even more surprised at what I can do with <em> no </em> hands." Hidan raised an eyebrow as he giggled at his own joke.</p><p>"What is <em> wrong </em> with you?" Kakuzu asked quietly, both as a warning and a genuine question. He continued to watch Hidan work in the mirror, and he gave no signs of yielding to Kakuzu's disapproval.</p><p>"Good question, asshole," Hidan decided on stencil placement, and moved to begin applying them. "Can't remember though, might have something to do with the head-trauma from last night."</p><p>Kakuzu barely tilted his head over a shoulder to speak directly to Hidan. "And I've got no problem doing it again if you don't watch your mouth."</p><p>"Awe, you're just a fuckin' <em>riot</em>, now aren't ya, tough guy? Now turn to the side." Hidan dismissed Kakuzu's threat as he pushed his hips in the direction he wanted him. Kakuzu was caught off guard for a moment but obliged and went silent, deciding that continuing the conversation was only going to serve to piss him off more. </p><p>In an instant, a figure appeared in the open doorway, and both Kakuzu and Hidan moved their eyes up to catch black ones in the mirror. A masked, pale, black haired man stood in the entry for a moment, curiously and wordlessly until Hidan spoke up.</p><p>"What, do I gotta formally invite you in, you fuckin' vampire?" Hidan returned his gaze to his work on Kakuzu's back. "Come on in, nosy."</p><p>"So this is the back-piece, yes?" Kakuzu was yet again, referred to as an inanimate object, and wasn't sure how he felt about that. The man slowly approached, and Kakuzu watched him carefully in the mirror.</p><p>"I'm Itachi," He crossed his arms effortlessly and tilted his head toward Kakuzu in the mirror to introduce himself. "We're all quite excited about this work, Hidan's been going on about the distinguished collector's design for quite some time now."</p><p>"So I'm told." Kakuzu realized that this was the third person that told him about Hidan's excitement over this piece. He'd never been called a collector before. He liked the term. He worked his eyes over Itachi's presence quickly. He was quite slender, but appeared more graceful than gaunt. Dressed in all black, with dark hair and even darker eyes, he had definitely reminded Kakuzu of a vampire as Hidan had referred to him.</p><p>"We certainly appreciate it when clients have an eye for composition," Itachi continued. Hidan had finished placing his stencils and was patting himself down in search of something, tuning the others out. "Hidan has a real gift for these types of large projects too - your concepts along with his skillset are sure to turn out an amazing piece."</p><p>"I appreciate it," Kakuzu listened as Itachi openly praised his colleague with no jabs or sarcasm. "I'm looking forward to it."</p><p>"As are we." Itachi added smoothly. Hidan was now swiveling his head around his studio, still looking around for something. Kakuzu watched Itachi remove 3 different colored fine-point permanent markers from the pocket of his shirt, and held them out for Hidan wordlessly.</p><p>"Yessss, <em> thank </em> you, fuck," Hidan took them from the dark haired man's hand. How did he know that's what Hidan was looking for?</p><p>There was another presence that emerged in through the doorway without waiting to be invited in.</p><p>"Woah, is this your guy?!" A very large man, larger than Kakuzu, approached Hidan as he uncapped a marker. His hair was blue, and he also had an obscene amount of tattoos on his neck and hands like Hidan. He had on green camo cargo pants and a black t-shirt with a logo Kakuzu didn't recognize in the mirror. He didn't seem to have a problem moving right up behind him to examine Hidan's work.</p><p>"Hell yeah!" Hidan started moving the marker over Kakuzu's back, the tip of the cold ink sent chills up his shoulders. "He's got a nice long sit with me 'til Sunday night."</p><p>"No shit? Yeah, doesn't surprise me," the loud blue-haired man turned his attention to Kakuzu standing in the mirror as the strong smell of ink filled the space quickly. "The legendary SBJ will spare not a single detail, my friend."</p><p>Hidan laughed at the egregious comment about his work, and spoke before Kakuzu could acknowledge Kisame directly. "This here's Kisame - he's probably one of the only freaks here who can outdrink me." </p><p>"Finally, the recognition I fucking deserve around here," Kisame continued watching curiously as Hidan pressed on rough-sketching through Kakuzu's back. "Man, this is going to be one hell of a project, I can't wait to see this shit." Hidan smiled in agreement and appreciation as he continued. Itachi quietly pressed one step inward toward to watch closer.</p><p>Kakuzu felt uncomfortable as, yet again, a spectacle to three-too-many spectators. He didn't like to be observed so closely at all, but having never been looked on with appreciation, this new attention held that much more awkwardness to him. He cleared his throat, unsure of what to do with his hands as he remained standing upright for Hidan to work. Kisame spoke up first, possibly feeling Kakuzu's tension.</p><p>"Itachi and I are getting breakfast, you want us to bring you back anything? Coffee?" Kisame pointed at Kakuzu with his brows raised. Kakuzu shook his head, and quietly thanked him.</p><p>"All set, man, thanks." Hidan said, moving around Kakuzu's back with a new shade of marker.</p><p>"Oh, I know <em> you </em> are, I smell that cinnamon shit from here," Kisame laughed as he moved back toward the doorway, Itachi following gracefully. "I'll tell Pain and get your whole shit shut down!"</p><p>Hidan quickly looked away from his work and shot Kisame a riled grin "Shut up, you fuckin' snitch!" he turned back still smiling, and started sketching near Kakuzu's lower back. "I know where you keep that tequila stashed, I'll take your ass down with me!"</p><p>Kisame giggled, and simply pressed his finger to his lips in a 'shh' gesture as a joke aimed towards Kakuzu in the mirror. Itachi chuckled as they both ducked out and disappeared back up the hallway. Kakuzu wondered who Pain was, and looked back to Hidan in the mirror, watching him laugh to himself and shake his head as he concentrated on his work. Kakuzu wasn't used to being around banter and loud shit-talking. It was sort of amusing to witness though.<em> 'Seem like good guys.' </em></p><p>"So what's the deal with this SBJ shit?" Kakuzu started before Hidan thought of something smart to say. He held a small smile as he worked his way back up near Kakuzu's left shoulder with the darkest of the markers, likely the last pass of detail.</p><p>"Stands for <em> Saved By Jashin </em>," Hidan spoke slowly. "Used to just go by Jashin, but you know how it goes." Kakuzu did not know.</p><p>"Saved? Like you're a <em> God </em> or something?" Kakuzu looked down to the floor behind him in the mirror at the symbol painted on the ground around the tattoo table, and the matching symbol adorning Hidan's head.</p><p>"That's right," Hidan smirked, sensing contentedly that this pissed Kakuzu off. "Kind of a persona of sorts."</p><p>"You're pretty arrogant for considering yourself a God." Kakuzu jabbed. He understood artists using pseudonyms and monikers, but to equate oneself as a God seemed distasteful to say the least.</p><p>"You'd be right about that." Hidan agreed. "When you're in my line of work, in this industry, you've gotta be a little full of it to make a name for yourself," He met eyes with Kakuzu in the mirror for the first time in a while. "You don't book out ten months when you consider yourself average."</p><p>Kakuzu couldn't argue with that school of thought, but still thought the whole thing was a little much. He settled with himself that artists are just weird fucking people, especially considering the bunch he'd met in just the past half hour. </p><p>"So, how was prison?" Hidan startled Kakuzu with this question, changing the subject without looking up.</p><p>"What?" Kakuzu demanded sharply. <em> 'What the fuck, how does he know that?' </em></p><p>"You heard me. You don't get most of this ink in shops, at least not the shit I can see. Looks to me that you sat for quite a while." Hidan moved toward Kakuzu's right shoulder, and he wasn't quite sure what to say.</p><p>"Absolutely none of that is any of your business," Kakuzu said plainly. This was <em>not</em> about to turn in to some type of Show-N-Tell bullshit, and he was still fully prepared to bail out before Hidan dropped the needle on him. "You should probably learn when to shut your mouth, it's a skill you're sorely lacking in."</p><p>Hidan huffed and rolled his eyes, and continued his sketching. "Jesus, man, give it a rest. You're flooded with prison black-and-grey, it's not a fucking secret. I'm really paying you a compliment, it's one of the main inspirations in my work. In fact, I wouldn't mind getting a few pics of some of this OG shit you've got, some of this has to be, what -  eight, maybe even ten years old?'</p><p>With that, Kakuzu jerked around to face him, his jaw nearly touching Hidan's nose.</p><p>"You've got three seconds to wrap this shit up."</p><p>Hidan was surprised by the sudden movement, but not rattled.</p><p>"Won't need it," Hidan motioned back toward the mirror with a satisfied smirk. "Take a look."</p><p>Kakuzu looked over his right shoulder and saw the colorful stenciling and freehand sketching that Hidan had painted over his back in the mirror. Kakuzu could see both his own vision, and Hidan's artistic mastery incorporated in what could only, again, exceed his expectations. The clean stencils of the masks, two on his shoulder blades, two directly beneath, sat boldly and symmetrical. The freehanded background and filler was expertly blended with the existing tattoos on his arms and in towards his sides and hips. Hidan had even incorporated and connected the same stitching in the sketching on his back that coiled over the rest of his body. The bright blue of the stencils and yellows and reds of the marker sketch intended to be immortalized in black and grey ink on the entirety of the back half of his torso. Up until this very moment, Kakuzu had actual doubts that this guy was even the real SBJ - but now that he'd witnessed it first hand, this was the real thing. Kakuzu, again, wasn't sure how to give his approval to the design, so he just started nodding as he continued to further examine his back. <em> 'Guess I don't have a choice.' </em></p><p>"Yeah?" Hidan asked confidently, hands on his hips. "Any changes? We like what we see? Is this yours?"</p><p>Kakuzu could tell that him nodding wasn't enough, and that Hidan wanted him to explicitly admit that this was fantastic. He turned his head back to face Hidan and nodded down once in confirmation. <em> 'Let's get this shit over with.' </em></p><p>"Alright, stud," Hidan clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "It's showtime."</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>For the past several hours, Hidan had been working diligently on Kakuzu's back. He laid on his stomach on the black table-bed, made comfortable by the pillow Hidan had given him. The tattoo machine buzzed loudly, and Hidan had music playing low from the stereo, bouncing around from metal, to rock, to hip hop, to punk, and back. It almost surprised him how focused and professional Hidan was in his work. It was very unlike his disjointed, unstable personality. He had flow, rhythm, and confidence in his maneuvers and application, and hummed low along to the music as he focused.</p><p>Hidan had explained his process and how he'd execute it over the next three days. He'd begin this day by mapping out the design with a very crisp tight-line to hold this freehanded design permanently with minimal detail. Day two, he'd spend completing all four masks in full. He'd wrap up the third and final day with the full background and any last minute touch ups. This would allow for Kakuzu's skin to rest in particular areas over the next few days without being overworked.</p><p>Kakuzu was no stranger to being needle-beat, but it was no walk in the park. He'd be increasingly sore, tight, sensitive, and tired for the next three days. Kakuzu was tough and could sit indefinitely for his tattoos, but he knew his limits. By the end of the day Sunday, he'd be aching, irritable, and exhausted. <em> 'That's what I signed up for.' </em></p><p>The back was already a sensitive enough area, probably among the most. Even after just a few hours, he compared the pain to the work on his ribs, his inner arms, his stomach. It was bearable, but certainly not a pleasant experience - never was. Hidan worked with a steady but not heavy hand, knowing his experienced client could take the pressure. Considering that most of his work had been done in jail cells with guns handmade from shrapnel and contraband, it was almost a luxury to feel pain from a real machine. He was thankful too that Hidan had remained relatively silent for the majority of the time. He had stopped to greet Sasori and Deidara, Itachi and Kisame, and a young woman with bright blue hair as they drifted in to examine the progress thus far. They didn't stay long, and Hidan didn't dwell on conversations with them. It was almost too good to be true.</p><p>"You're really not gonna tell me about jail, huh?" Hidan finally spoke. <em> 'Mother fucker...' </em></p><p>"No," Kakuzu breathed. "And to think I was going to have some peace and quiet."</p><p>"Look man, you and I have a <em> lot </em> of time to sit here together," Hidan sat up and the machine stopped buzzing as he lifted his foot from the pedal, turning his black nitrile-gloved hands outward. "The one thing that makes the pain and time go by is having a fucking conversation." </p><p>"Never said the pain was bad." Kakuzu said directly. His head was laying away from Hidan and turned to keep watch on the doorway, and had no intention of turning around to face Hidan despite his neck starting to hurt.</p><p>"Yeah, well, it's gunna fuckin' drag ass the next three days if you don't stop pouting." Hidan started back up.</p><p>"Then it drags ass for the next three days." Kakuzu said indignantly. Hidan withdrew again.</p><p>"C'mon, you don't have to tell me about jail, man," Hidan pressed. "You're gonna walk around with what'll probably be one of my <em>favorite</em> pieces of all time, and I don't know shit about you!"</p><p>"That's probably for the best," Kakuzu answered with genuine honesty. He understood where Hidan was coming from, but their conversation was likely best kept to a minimum.</p><p>"Look, just...alright, what do you do for a living?" Hidan disregarded him for what felt like the hundredth time since they met. Kakuzu sighed and shut his eyes. <em> 'He's really fuckin' relentless, isn't he...' </em></p><p>He turned his head inward to face Hidan, and their met eyes for the first time in hours despite their close proximity. Kakuzu did feel a lot more comfortable after adjusting his position.</p><p>"I'm retired." he stated bluntly, and then looked away to stare toward the back wall near Hidan's desk. This was easier than arguing with him as his back grew more and more tender.</p><p>Hidan seemed pleased with Kakuzu's resignation, and nodded in approval. "Hmm, retired, huh? From what?"</p><p>Kakuzu blinked twice. "Accounting."</p><p>Hidan raised an eyebrow and frowned, genuinely surprised. He started back to work. "Huh. That's an interesting profession for a convict."</p><p>Kakuzu closed his eyes as his eyebrows knitted together, and offered only a sigh, choosing to say nothing. <em>'This is fuckin' harassment.'</em></p><p>Hidan snorted. "Did you honestly think I wasn't going to notice you're dotted up with a whole fucking prison suit?"</p><p>"No," Kakuzu's eyes flitted open. "But I expected a professional to know when to shut the fuck up." He didn't talk to anybody about this shit, and wasn't going to start now.</p><p>"I did a little time - juvenile felony," Hidan disoriented the subject as he re-dipped the needle point in ink. "I was seventeen. I got absolutely shitfaced and vandalized four cop cars."</p><p>Kakuzu maintained his look of indigence, but really wanted to call him an idiot.</p><p>Hidan chuckled. "I threw bricks in to the windows, knifed up all their leather seats, slashed the tires, just really fuckin' jacked their shit up. I didn't even get to run, they were on my ass before I even knew it." Hidan continued to push lines on Kakuzu's back. "I did eighteen months, tried as an adult, I just got off probation maybe two years ago."</p><p>"Stupidest shit I've ever heard." Kakuzu said bluntly without thinking.</p><p>"Yeah, and that's not not even the stupidest thing I've ever <em> done </em>." Hidan laughed.</p><p>"Why the hell would you even do something like that?" Kakuzu asked with distaste. Outrageous. But why was he even engaging with this shit?</p><p>"I was angry that my mom got arrested." Hidan said it as if he knew Kakuzu would ask the question. "Don't get me wrong, she deserved it - fuckin' junkie. I was just a dumb angry kid and wanted to take it out on somebody."</p><p>"I bet she thinks you were a dumb fuck for it too." Kakuzu said with spite.</p><p>"She overdosed a couple days later out on bond." Hidan moved to wipe ink from Kakuzu's back. "Didn't get to talk to her about it, but I'm sure she'd agree with you."</p><p>
  <em> 'Fuck.' </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu went silent. Hidan knew why.</p><p>"So accounting, huh? You're in to like, money and shit?" Hidan clumsily, but cheerfully changed the subject, and Kakuzu was willing to go along with it.</p><p>"You could say that." Kakuzu cleared his throat at rudimentary description.</p><p>"So you've done books for like, businesses and organizations and shit?" Hidan continued.</p><p>"I have." Technically.</p><p>"I wish I knew where to start with that shit. I never really learned anything about money, or taxes. Just cash and how to make more of it." Hidan mused. Kakuzu could respect that.</p><p>"It's not all that hard once you get organized." Kakuzu offered up.</p><p>"Yeah? And how the hell do you start that?" Hidan laughed through his nose. "I have no<em> idea</em> how this shit works. I've been off-the-grid cash-only, since I started tattooing and selling my art when I dropped out of high school. I live in the loft apartment upstairs, off the books from the owner. He only lets me because I'm one of the biggest earners in this place. I'd shit my pants if the IRS came knocking for their cut."</p><p>Kakuzu shut his eyes and sighed. "Like I said, getting your paperwork together and filed correctly is your first step." Why was he even humoring this shit. At least he was given a break from the interrogation.</p><p>"What, like saving my receipts 'n shit?" Hidan said in a smug tone. "Sounds fuckin' lame. Wish I could pay somebody to take care of that shit."</p><p>Kakuzu knew the shit he was pulling, and twisted it back around. "Why do you even care to go legit if you seem to be living the lifestyle you want now?"</p><p>"Because it's not the lifestyle I want," Hidan said, pulling back. "There's shit I want in life that I'm not able to get 'cuz of it. I want to buy a house, maybe set up my own shop. I can't even buy a new car in my name with cold hard cash cuz the Feds will come looking for me," Hidan resumed buzzing at Kakuzu's back, his voice continued, just a bit more dreamily. "I want to get married, have a family, a couple kids - the good life, ya know?" Hidan trailed on. "...want a back yard, and a...a fuckin' <em>dog</em> or somethin'."</p><p>Kakuzu didn't look Hidan in the face, but could tell he meant what he was saying. He hadn't seen this side of him yet.</p><p>"Why don't you ask some of your industry colleagues for financial counselling." Kakuzu spoke it rhetorically, but he was actually curious.</p><p>"<em>Tch</em>! They're just as fucking useless as I am with that shit!" Hidan sat up straight and looked up and away as if he was talking to himself. "I mean, they're functional and on the grid and shit, but they've been saying for years how they want a shop manager on finances to run this joint. The paperwork and the fucking filing is unreal, man, you would <em> not </em> believe it."</p><p>Kakuzu frowned. "Does the owner of the building not facilitate that?"</p><p>"Pain? Hell no, he owns like, 100 other buildings, he basically owns the whole downtown district." Hidan wiped the excess ink from Kakuzu's lower back. "I mean, he's a cool guy who appreciates the arts and shit, and he's let me live upstairs since we opened the shop. He's just more of a landlord if anything though. Guy's busy as all hell, traveling all over and shit."</p><p>"Well, maybe you should hire someone like you said." Kakuzu raised his brows.</p><p>"Oh, we definitely should," Hidan smiled down at Kakuzu. "Know any accountants?"</p><p>"Retired." Kakuzu stated again.</p><p>"<em> Juuust </em>think about it." Hidan joked.</p><p>Kakuzu sighed, and turned his head back the other way towards the door again. He would <em>n</em><em>ot </em> think about it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Turned Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>these dudes got issues fr</p><p>HEY....do you like kakuhida? do you like 18+ discussions of the intricate nuances of their complex relationship? do u like shitposting as Performance Art? THen come on down the the KakuHida discord server! We got popular artists and authors in the pairing fandom, we got pet pictures, JAIL, enbys and bimbos, movie night and a Voice Chat that will absolutely decrease your IQ level. Tell em Sweetz sent ya (you won’t get anything it’s just fun to be noticed) so what r u waiting for big fella? Damn fr</p><p>https://discord.gg/SGJPxjaD</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kakuzu laid on his stomach, hair undone and loose, naked from the waist up on top of the covers of his large hotel bed. After his quick shower, he came to the conclusion that he would rather rest than eat, deciding he'd get something big for breakfast in the morning. He faced the outside window, from which he had drawn the curtains, to watch the city’s glimmering Friday night. He had turned the TV on for background noise - some Christmas movie on a public channel. They'd be running all through the next few weeks until the end of December. The small lamp on the desk was turned on, casting the room in a warm glow as he saw the time on the digital alarm clock read 12:14am.<em> 'Better get to sleep soon.' </em></p><p>He was fairly sore from a long day's sit, the entirety of his back carved in with fresh linework. He wasn't in a great deal of pain, but he had no desire to put on a shirt while he recovered, back growing tight and tender. Hidan had worked quickly, purposefully, with few breaks, so they were done after 12 hours or so with a brief break in the middle for lunch and a cigarette. Their lunch and smoke breaks were surprisingly uneventful. Accompanied by either Kisame, or Deidara, so Hidan's attention was more focused on the discussion of his work rather than interrogating Kakuzu for more personal information. <em> 'Maybe he'll be less annoying tomorrow.' </em></p><p>Kakuzu's phone was on silent, but he saw it light up on the side table he faced, taking his attention from the city view. He assumed that it was some type of alert or update. He grabbed it and saw that it was a text message, from the number he had saved as SBJ.</p><p>
  <em> bored </em>
</p><p>The text was plain and simple. <em> 'Why the hell is he texting me this late?' </em></p><p>
  <em> wyd </em>
</p><p>Before Kakuzu could even unlock his phone, the second one had come through. He thought for a moment and realized what the acronym stood for. He opened the message, and glared at it. He typed back.</p><p>
  <em> what the hell do you think I'm doing </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu didn't punctuate it as he intended it to be rhetorical. He was laid up in pain - <em>no shit</em>.</p><p>
  <em> whos putting ur balm on </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu huffed at the message. He hadn't gotten that far yet. He typed out his answer.</p><p>
  <em> nobody </em>
</p><p>Immediately, Hidan was typing.</p><p>
  <em> wya </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu frowned at the message, should I really let him know where I’m staying? Hidan texted again before he could respond.</p><p>
  <em> i dont want that shit all crusty for tomorrow, what hotel u at? </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu sighed and pinched between his brows, and let his eyes close. He knew Hidan was just going to keep pestering him until he let him over. He did need someone else to put the shit on him, especially considering he'd rinsed most of it off it the shower. He responded simply with his hotel and room number and set his phone back down on the side table. <em> 'Another fuckin' mistake, I'm sure.' </em></p><p>Kakuzu looked back outside and it was starting to get foggy. He didn't move from the place on his bed, as he was starting to get stiff. His hand was less sore now though as he stretched his fingers. He thought for a moment about why Hidan was being this accommodating and friendly after he had assaulted him in the parking lot. He could have just told Kakuzu to fuck off from the tattoo shop. Why didn't he? <em> ‘Must like his money.’ </em></p><p>Kakuzu's eyes started to drift shut as he listened to a commercial play ever-so-lightly in the background on the TV. He really was drained. His breath went steady and he thought about how tomorrow would play out. It really hadn’t gone as bad as he thought it would.</p><p>He must have fallen asleep for about twenty minutes, as he woke up to a knock at the door.</p><p>"<em>Hello! </em> " Hidan's voice was pitched up, gently singing outside of his door. " <em> House-keeping! </em>" Kakuzu rolled his eyes at the lame joke. He shifted slowly off of the bed, wiping his hand over his face, and stepped over to the door to yank it open.</p><p>There stood Hidan, who held up two bags of what appeared to be some kind of Chinese take-out. His smile was big as he stared up at Kakuzu who wore a very groggy but somewhat dazed expression.</p><p>"You hungry?" Hidan asked as he pushed passed Kakuzu. "This place down the street makes <em> the </em> best short ribs."</p><p>Kakuzu yawned and stretched as he watched Hidan set down the bags on the desk like he owned the place. He threw his coat over the chair in front of it, and kicked his shoes off. How long did he think he was staying?</p><p>Hidan was dressed now in just a faded band shirt cut up into a muscle tee and some grey cotton joggers. Kakuzu gazed over as he removed the Styrofoam boxes from their plastic bags. He really was hungry.</p><p>Hidan turned back to Kakuzu, his eyes fell back on his naked torso like before, and simply ogled from head to toe as he normally did. Kakuzu blinked at him, unfazed, and made his way over to Hidan's spread at the desk. He grabbed one of the boxes and returned to the bed where he sat on the side and immediately started eating. Too tired and too hungry to pretend he wasn't starving.</p><p>Hidan smiled as he watched the man wordlessly accept dinner from him, and he turned back to get his own box opened up at the desk and sat in the chair. "They use this sauce, and smoke them for like, fuckin' twenty hours or something, it's unreal." He remarked, glancing back to Kakuzu. "What do you think?"</p><p>As usual, Kakuzu offered his normal confirmation of approval, which was a slow nod of his head without looking up. He took another bite and was very pleasantly surprised at how good it was. From the cinnamon-whiskey coffee to the ribs he was just given, Hidan had remarkably good taste. <em> 'And it's free.' </em></p><p>Kakuzu looked up at Hidan and swallowed. "Thank you." He remembered to say before he looked back down to get another mouthful.</p><p>Hidan nodded himself as his mouth was full too. There was a tremendous sense of pride in knowing that Kakuzu had accepted his offering graciously with no second thoughts. Even if he was just really hungry, Hidan felt satisfaction knowing he did something that pleased Kakuzu. They both looked up to the quiet TV's old Christmas movie, and watched it wordlessly as they quietly ate together.</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>"Holy fuck," Hidan burped loudly. "Can't get <em> enough </em> of that place!" He closed his eyes and raised his arms above his head to stretch his back out. Kakuzu watched as his threadbare cut-off shirt lifted up to show the few inches of stomach above the elastic waistline of his boxers peeking above his pants. More colorful, bold tattoos were revealed. He looked away before Hidan could notice.</p><p>"Have a smoke?" Kakuzu grabbed his pack and stood, inviting Hidan to the balcony with him for a cigarette. Kakuzu wouldn't tell Hidan how deeply appreciated the silent meal they shared was, so instead he decided he wouldn't berate him at every chance, and would let him keep him company for a while.</p><p>"Hell yeah." Hidan sat up and put his coat back on as he located his own pack.</p><p>Hidan met Kakuzu on the balcony, who he realized had come out in the winter night with just his sweatpants and socks. The chilly air breezed the ends of his long dark hair in the same direction the smoke he blew out, and Hidan couldn't help but appreciate how he looked back-lit by the city lights.</p><p>"Nice view," He quipped. Kakuzu simply lit his cigarette, and leaned his elbows against the railing, staring out at the skyrise buildings. Hidan continued. "You're not cold?"</p><p>Kakuzu nodded his head and let smoke blow from his lips. "A little, but it feels good on my back."</p><p>Hidan nodded as he joined Kakuzu at the railing and lit his own cigarette. "We got a lot done today, good progress." Hidan let his eyes trail over his form, and Kakuzu allowed it, too tired to question it. He wasn't going to last much longer awake, and he wondered how Hidan was able to keep his energy up this late at night after working all day. <em> 'Maybe I am getting old.' </em></p><p>"So, no girlfriend or somethin’ to come with you on your little tattoo excursions?" Hidan took another drag of his cigarette from the side of his mouth. <em> 'Here we fuckin' go.' </em></p><p>"No." Kakuzu said flatly.</p><p>Hidan nodded as he looked over the skyline with Kakuzu. "Or boyfriend?"</p><p>Kakuzu moved his eyes to Hidan's grinning face, displeased, but Hidan didn't move his own eyes from the city before him.</p><p>"Just a question, man, no need to get defensive." Hidan took another hit of his cigarette. He knew what he was doing.</p><p>"I'm not getting defensive." Kakuzu said, probably a little too defensively.</p><p>"If you say so," Hidan said with fake innocence. "I'm just trying to get to know my client." Kakuzu sighed and didn't feel like putting up with the needling anymore.</p><p>"I've never thought about having either of them." Kakuzu half-lied. "I've been very busy since I was young, I didn't have time for that." Another half-truth.</p><p>"But you're retired now, right?" Hidan asked him genuinely. "You're not that <em> busy </em> anymore, are you?"</p><p>Kakuzu looked down at the cigarette in his hand. "Like I said, I've never given it much thought. It's not been a priority. Wasn’t worth the liability."</p><p>Hidan glanced over to Kakuzu, curious at the slip of the past tense phrasing, but he didn't want to scare him off. "Liability?"</p><p>Kakuzu realized said a bit too much, and decided to turn it back on Hidan. "I assume someone who gets around as much as you wouldn't really understand that."</p><p>Hidan snorted. "Wow, you flatter me," he looked up at the sky. "Thanks for stroking my ego, but I doubt I really live up to the playboy image you've given me."</p><p>Kakuzu held smoke in his lungs. "What, more of a gold-digger then?" He released his breath as he delivered the ironic jab.</p><p>"I wish," Hidan smiled and looked down to examine his fingers. "Turns out it's the other way around. I tried to settle down with a couple guys in my day, but they bailed when I couldn't live up to the dream."</p><p>Kakuzu listened as Hidan referred specifically to guys. He didn't move as he took another drag from his cigarette. Hidan continued.</p><p>"I don't blame them, I mean - they saw my money, and my success or whatever, and figured I could get ‘em the good life - get married, have a family, that white picket fence shit. Hell, that's what I want too. But turns out, I don't have enough of my shit together for it, and I couldn't make it happen."</p><p>Kakuzu looked over to Hidan to examine his profile. He looked somewhat pensive but with no spite in his features. Hidan took the opportunity to look over to his client eyeing him and gave him a smile - a real genuine one.</p><p>"Just the way it goes, I guess." Hidan blinked softly. "Maybe I'm just too busy, too."</p><p>Kakuzu looked away and cleared his throat. He was starting to get cold. He didn't like it when people took advantage of others, and acknowledged silently how he’d heard that story plenty of times - it was far too common. He nodded shortly. "Always a smart choice to focus on your career."</p><p>Hidan moved to put his cigarette out in the ashtray balanced on the railing. "You're not wrong," he agreed as he turned back toward the door. "C'mon, let's get this shit on your back."</p><p>Kakuzu put out his own cigarette and followed Hidan back inside of his own hotel room. It felt so much warmer now that he was out of the cold, and the soft light and quiet Christmas music on the TV was already making his eyes heavy.</p><p>"I'm gonna warm up my hands in the sink first, go ahead and lay down or whatever," Kakuzu heard Hidan turn on the sink in the bathroom. He was already laying his tired body down on the bed again before he had finished his sentence, and felt let out a deep sigh as the warmth of the room, the nicotine buzz, and his full stomach continued to relax him. He was ready for Hidan to get his shit together so he could get to sleep. <em> 'This better not take forever.' </em></p><p>Hidan had emerged from the bathroom and made his way over to the side of the bed. Kakuzu didn't open his eyes as he heard Hidan open the cap for the moisturizing balm he'd gotten to care for his freshly tattooed skin. He felt the bed sink and Hidan sat on the side, and heard him rubbing the liquid around his hands warming it up. He felt Hidan's weight shift as he gently pressed his fingers and palms to the base of his neck to slowly work the ointment in on his tender skin.</p><p>Kakuzu kept his eyes shut, already used to having his back touched, needled, worked, and wiped all day. He felt Hidan work down towards his shoulder-blades in small strokes, barely enough pressure to touch him. It didn't hurt, but that was because Hidan knew how tender he must be.</p><p>"You sat like a champ today," he praised Kakuzu. "You'll be able to get through the rest of these days no problem."</p><p>Kakuzu made a noise in acknowledgement. "Not like I have a choice."</p><p>"Yeah, I guess so. You don't seem like the type of guy to tap out though." Hidan remarked as he reached back to uncap the lid to coat his hands again.</p><p>"Still hurts." Kakuzu muttered out honestly. He felt Hidan's gentle hands on the middle of his back over his large ribs now, still barely pressing a thin coat to his skin.</p><p>"Always does," Hidan agreed. "But it's always worth it in the end, right?"</p><p>Kakuzu made that same noise in agreement. He wasn't much for many more words now, and he was only half-conscious at this point. Hidan's hands dipped lower to lay the final coat on his lower back, making sure he was still just as gentle with the sensitive skin.</p><p>"Are you always this tense even when you're exhausted?" Hidan asked him.</p><p>Kakuzu kept his eyes closed, and only furled his brow and barely tilted his jaw back over his shoulder to indicate that he wasn't sure what Hidan was talking about.</p><p>"Your body," Hidan ran his hand softly back up to Kakuzu's shoulder. "You're fuckin' rigid, which is normal during a long session and all, but your muscles, arms and legs and shit - super tense."</p><p>Kakuzu wasn't sure what to say. Eyes still shut, he weakly shrugged his shoulders and shook his head gently to dismiss it, with both unawareness and indifference about Hidan's observation. <em> 'Fuck if I know.' </em></p><p>"Here, let me rub your arms and neck at least," Hidan grabbed the bottle again. "If you're all tense like this, it's gonna hurt that much more the next two days."</p><p>Kakuzu opened his eyes this time and turned his neck enough to look at Hidan. "So you pretend to be a God <em> and </em> a massage therapist now?"</p><p>"Lord Jashin possesses many miraculous talents," Hidan smiled. "You're quite lucky to be so blessed."</p><p>"You're so full of shit." Kakuzu sighed as he repositioned his head and closed his eyes once more. He knew Hidan would insist, and it was easier to just get it over with so he could get to sleep instead of having to argue with him.</p><p>"Yeah, yeah, so are you," Hidan pressed the heels of his palms into the back of Kakuzu's neck with more pressure than the gentle application on his back. "I'm serious though, you're gonna appreciate this tomorrow."</p><p>"We'll see." Kakuzu said doubtfully.</p><p>Suddenly he was on guard as Hidan purposefully worked his muscles with his slim fingers down to where his neck met his shoulders, avoiding the recent welts of tattoo lines. This was a tremendously unfamiliar sensation to him. Kakuzu was used to being tattooed, but the only time he ever remembered being touched by someone was when he was defending himself from knife attacks, or grappling with someone he'd been sent to hit. He didn't know how to accept what was being done to him. He didn't speak this language of physical touch, and what little he knew of it was violence. He could feel his heart beat faster in his chest, and anxiety started to pull his mind up from sleep and he let his eyes open.<em> 'He better not try anything.' </em></p><p>Kakuzu looked to Hidan's form out of habit as he felt him work towards his shoulders. He immediately scanned his waistband and pockets for weapons - knives, a gun. His worn out cut-off t-shirt and thin light cotton joggers would have shown anything of that nature, and Kakuzu moved his eyes to the desk in the far corner of the room. He glanced over Hidan's coat and shoes, both seemed clear. Back to the floor next to them, up to the table. He listened for footsteps outside of the door he knew he'd locked. He could only hear the cheerful music from the TV. He didn't think Hidan had violent motives, but old routines like this were a sore muscle memory for him.</p><p>"Kakuzu, just <em> relax </em>," Hidan breathed out. Kakuzu was almost startled to hear him say his name. Was that the first time he’d said it to him? "Why are you breathing so fast? Has nobody ever rubbed your back for you?" He asked it with an innocent laugh.</p><p>Kakuzu blinked and swallowed, and breathed hard out of his nose. He moved his eyes to focus on the outside window, noticing that the city sky was still clear and dark with no stars. He refocused his breathing and untensed his body beneath Hidan's hands as he moved to work his shoulders.</p><p>"Guess not." Kakuzu said simply, and cleared his throat. He was telling the truth, Hidan could tell. He closed his eyes again to try to relax himself once more.</p><p>"That's fucked up, cell mate wasn't nice enough to rub you down once in a while?" Hidan jabbed, expecting this to rile Kakuzu up.</p><p>"Didn't have one after a couple months." Kakuzu said simply, eyes still remaining closed. "Rest of the time was private-cell."</p><p>Hidan's brows raised, surprised at the first admission of information that Kakuzu just gave. He worked slowly down Kakuzu's arms to his thick biceps, and let his fingers work into the muscle. What had he done for those circumstances? Must have been serious. He had gotten some walls down, but he'd have to tread lightly.</p><p>"That must have been boring." Hidan spoke low and soft, like Kakuzu did.</p><p>"It was safe." Kakuzu corrected.</p><p>"Were the guys in there really that threatening?" Hidan let his hands work deeper but slower, trying to read Kakuzu's reactions so he could keep toeing the line.</p><p>"Other way around."</p><p>Hidan blinked and swallowed, perplexed but fascinated. There were so many questions - what had he done? What did he do when he got there to warrant segregation? Was he really dangerous? How much time did he do anyway? He continued his light questioning, wondering how far the boundary could be pushed.</p><p>"How'd you end up with tattoos if you were in solitary?" Hidan pressed, worried he'd gone too far.</p><p>"Solitary cell, not confinement." Kakuzu sighed out. "Max-monitored block with general population privileges."</p><p>Hidan nodded to himself. He was getting somewhere. "Ah, the pent-house suite with gen-pop and yard time? Must have pulled some strings for that one."</p><p>Kakuzu laughed under his breath. "More like lined wallets, but you could say that."</p><p>Hidan had never heard Kakuzu laugh, or even seen him smile. It made his heart skip a beat. He was finally <em> just </em> cracking the shell. Hidan's hands were working deep on Kakuzu's taught forearms, and he admired the tendons and veins making him look so... <em> strong </em>. He took a moment to examine his tattoos more. Pictures of demons, animals, knives, dates and letters, all shaded together and framed by those curious stitches weaving over them. He felt Kakuzu strain against him less and heard his breathing start to pace soft and steady - his touch was actually working.</p><p>"Did you see how I incorporated these stitches into the piece?" Hidan asked, shuffling his questions around so Kakuzu wouldn't retreat. "These are so cool, I've never seen anything like them."</p><p>Kakuzu made a noise in acknowledgement, and let himself sink further into Hidan's diligent work. He was starting to get it now. He allowed Hidan to work his tight muscles, trusting his hands for the time being. He figured if he wanted to hurt him, he would have done it when he had access to his back for the past twelve hours today. He felt Hidan start to make his way back up to his biceps and shoulders. <em> 'It really does feel good...' </em></p><p>"Do you have them everywhere?" Hidan asked, wanting to ease in more questions that would give simple answers. "Like down your legs and stuff?"</p><p>Kakuzu nodded softly, drifting more and more into Hidan's touch, lulling him, almost tranquilizing him. </p><p>"That's sick," Hidan complimented him. "What made you want those?" </p><p>Kakuzu shrugged, and let out a breath between his parted lips. The comfort he felt from Hidan working his badly neglected muscles was almost hypnotic. "I don't know...we're just pieces of the men we think we are..."</p><p>Hidan went silent for a moment, and his brows just barely tucked together, pensive, considering Kakuzu's explanation. It was a little deeper, more profound than what he'd expect Kakuzu to say about them. He considered that despite Kakuzu's no-nonsense approach to, well, everything, he still appreciated art and its poetic nature. Hidan was still quite curious about what else was underneath all the walls he put up. The masks he put on. Hidan moved his hands back over his shoulders back up to Kakuzu's neck once more, and made sure he was still calm beneath his touch.</p><p>"What do you think you'll do when we get done with your back?" Hidan asked, again trying to keep the questioning broad.</p><p>"No more room." Kakuzu stated.</p><p>"Really? No space on your legs or anything?" Yet another surprise. He'd have to get a look at them eventually.</p><p>"No," Kakuzu said softly. "You're my last stop."</p><p>For some reason, this made Hidan's chest feel warm. It might have been the way Kakuzu had said it, or it could have just been an honor to hear that he was appointed to complete a collector's full body suit. It was humbling really, and he felt that warmth go up to his cheeks. He really wanted to call bullshit and see if he had tattoos on his ass, but instead, he just let out a sound of approval from behind his teeth, lips closed over his grin. He pushed his fingers up into Kakuzu's hair at the base of his neck, and slowly started working his fingertips over his scalp.</p><p>Kakuzu let out a noise, that wasn't necessarily approval, but it was definitely a sound of appreciation. He had never had his scalp rubbed, or had fingers run through his hair, and it sent heat all through his body. He sighed out as Hidan's fingertips worked up to the crown of his head, having never before felt such a delightful and pleasurable sensation. <em> 'Holy shit...' </em></p><p>Hidan smiled, feeling accomplished at this. He'd gotten Kakuzu to accept dinner from him, his massage, and he was even able to extract a bit of information out of him. It was going to be a long process, but he was giddy at how he was finally starting to learn more about Kakuzu. He decided to let Kakuzu drift off. He didn't think he'd ever met a man as interesting...or <em> hot </em>.</p><p>Kakuzu was absolutely melting into Hidan's touch. He couldn't feel anything but Hidan's fingers massaging over his head, in what was the gentlest, most pleasant sensation he could ever recall experiencing. He simply gave in to the touch as Hidan's fingers laced in his own long hair, stroking up to his front hairline, and coming down to gently caress the sides of his ears. It was nothing short of bliss as he allowed himself to allow Hidan to be gentle with him. He'd never known such contentment.</p><p>Kakuzu felt himself finally yielding to sleep, as he thought to himself that this was the kindest thing anyone had ever done for him.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Hold his fucking legs." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu could feel tight hands, four of them, grip his legs from thigh to ankle. His arms were held back by another man behind him and he felt his head hit the metal railing of the prison bed frame as he thrashed wildly. The cell was dark, and he couldn't see much, but he knew the voice, speaking just above a whisper. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Cut his shirt up." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> A fist came to his collar, and his white t-shirt was easily shredded from his torso with a knife about as tall as his hand. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Yeah, you might have been a big hitter in the streets, we heard all about it. But in here, you listen to us." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> There was a fist that came up and gripped his hair and bottom of his jaw and held his head still as he breathed wildly through his nose.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "You come in here without proper respect to us, we'll fuckin' take it from you." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu looked around wildly in the dark, and caught eyes with the only light, which was under the door. Distinct shiny black boots of a corrections officer could be seen, standing with his back to the door - guarding it. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu could barely make out the eyes of the older man threatening him in the dark, but he wouldn't look away. He wasn't gagged but he was silent as he refused to give submission to the man in front of him. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "You're gonna be a good kid in here now, and smile politely when you see me and my guys around here, alright? We're gonna make sure you do." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He brought a knife from his pocket and pressed it to his Kakuzu's cheek. He thrashed harder against the numerous men struggling to keep him down. He felt the knife's sharp edge slip into the corner of his mouth. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He tasted the metal from the blade and his own blood starting to spill. He kept his teeth clamped tight until someone behind him pried his jaw open. He shook violently and his eyes were wild with fury, like an animal - he breathed violently through his nose and his fists were white knuckled and shaking with rage. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He watched as the man holding his arms behind him draw his own weapon up over his body. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Now open wide, sweetheart..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> All in one split second, he felt a knife pierce into his stomach and tear into his right cheek. All he could hear was the splitting of his own flesh up to his ear. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kakuzu woke up gasping, and lifted his head and elbow up off of the bed from his stomach. He panted as his eyes searched frantically around what was now just his hotel room, but dark. He scanned the floor, the doorway, and the balcony window for visual clearance to regain his mental traction. Waking up like this was high on his list of shittiest recurring experiences, though the panic only lasted a few seconds as reality settled around him.</p><p>He pressed his hand to his face to feel either side of his scarred cheeks, and worked the jaw that he'd been clenching so hard in his dream. He scrubbed his face up and down a few times with his hand, and breathed in deep through his nose, rubbing his eyes. He heard the TV was still on, softly playing old Christmas music to a black and white movie he didn't recognize. He was still on his stomach, and moved to lay his elbow down flat again, and tried to regulate his breathing. How many nights, how many years, was his subconscious going to flash this back at him? <em> 'Mother fucker.' </em></p><p>He turned his face to lay the other way, and his breath went still in his throat.</p><p>
  <em> 'Why is he still here?' </em>
</p><p>Hidan laid next to him, laying on his back on top of the blankets just as Kakuzu was. A hand was placed gingerly on his stomach, the other settled up next to his head, palm up. His face was turned toward Kakuzu, but a half arm's length away on the spacious mattress. He wondered how he hadn't woken him up with his sudden movements.</p><p>Kakuzu blinked, eyes wide, still trying to compose himself. His eyes moved over Hidan's resting form in the dark. He assumed Hidan must have turned off the dim lamp after he'd fallen asleep. He was still wearing his worn-out tank top and grey sweats, and the thin clothing had settled loosely over his frame. The light from the TV flickered in varying depths of white light over Hidan's cheek and neck as the colorless film played the softest, gentlest melodies of vintage holiday music. Outside behind Hidan, the large window still had its curtain drawn, and the glittering skyline beamed in. It was the same as before, only now, it was snowing.</p><p>Kakuzu swallowed and left his lips to part gently. The comfort he felt knowing that Hidan was next to him after being dealt such a horrible memory was an extraordinary relief. He wasn’t sure why. He'd be lying if he said it wasn't a stunning, picturesque view before him, now that he was able to really take him in.</p><p>Hidan was always moving, constantly shifting around, fidgeting, talking with his hands, running his mouth. He was so still now, so serene, Kakuzu had to focus to see if his chest was even rising and falling. His porcelain skin glowing in the light from the TV over his lithe body that he could maybe be mistaken for a marble statue if he wasn't carved up in tattoo ink. Despite his figure of tight, compact muscle, Kakuzu thought he looked like he'd shatter him if he were to grab him hard enough.</p><p>His eyes drew up to his face, and saw how his smooth jaw almost reflected light. His light hair that was normally pushed back off of his forehead was now slightly disheveled. Small tresses fell over his right cheek and brow. His eyes didn’t move under his lids, and Kakuzu wondered how his long wispy lashes were so dark despite his light complexion. No wonder his tattoos looked so bright and stark on his body. The one on his face, above his right eyebrow was covered with his shifted hair. Kakuzu didn't know why, but he wanted to see it.</p><p>Slowly, carefully, Kakuzu picked his own arm up from the bed, and barely reached out to Hidan's brow. His fingertips didn't quite graze Hidan's skin, but they managed to sweep the hair from his face. Without thinking, Kakuzu let his fingers carefully tuck those hairs behind his ear. Kakuzu was surprised at his own ability to be so gentle. His thumb only just grazed the top of Hidan's ear as he revealed his brow, black-lined tattoo now showing.</p><p>He noticed Hidan breath deeper, just barely audible, at the sensation in his sleep. Kakuzu went still, his fingers still barely tucked behind Hidan's ear and he watched his lips and listened to him blow out that same breath he'd taken in, slow and undisturbed.</p><p>Kakuzu noticed they were parted lightly, just like his own, as he continued listlessly gawking at the young man before him. They were the fairest shade of light pink, and they looked just as soft as the rest of him. Kakuzu could hardly believe these were the same lips that would scream obscenities and slurs on a regular basis. Kakuzu's mind was blank, as he considered the crass and chaotic man next to him in this new and unexpected state. How innocent, how delicate he looked.</p><p>
  <em> 'Like an angel...' </em>
</p><p>He didn't mean to think it, but he did. Kakuzu didn't consider how his own hand decided to move to where his eyes were on Hidan's lips. He was so tranquil, Kakuzu still couldn't even see him breathing - he wanted to feel it. His thumb moved to just barely caress the side of his supple, quiet lips. He wondered if they were as soft as they looked. </p><p>They were even softer.</p><p>Kakuzu felt the silent warmth of Hidan's breath against his thumb, and for some reason, it warmed his own chest and face. He let his other fingers curl and rest against Hidan's chin, and felt Hidan’s breath draw just barely cooling the temperature against his finger, sending chills up his back. He was so soft against Kakuzu's rough and calloused hand. He really wondered now if Hidan was breakable.</p><p>He was. Kakuzu felt a pang of reality as he looked back to Hidan's still bruised face. He'd grown used to him wearing the purple marks under his eyes for the past day. They almost matched the deep colors of tattoos on the rest of his body. He wasn't swollen anymore, and the small bandage on his nose was removed, but the purple stains were still contrasted by his snowy skin. </p><p>Kakuzu felt a weird guilt in his stomach, and swallowed deep as if that would take it back. He reasoned with himself that the kid was tougher than he looked as he tried to match his own breathing to Hidan's.</p><p>He saw Hidan's fingers twitch on his own stomach, and Kakuzu felt them against his wrist - just the faintest movement. It was enough to make the breath in his throat stop again, the gentle sensation almost overwhelming. He looked down to the palm that was just as ghostly in complexion as Hidan’s face, and felt like he'd need to feel how soft that hand was compared to his lips.</p><p>Just as soft, but even warmer. He let three fingertips rest gently in the center of Hidan's hand and relaxed the rest of his arm to the bed. Kakuzu was unsure of why he felt so compelled, so mesmerized by his presence, but he was too tired, too intoxicated with Hidan's vulnerability, to resist.</p><p>Kakuzu's eyes flitted over Hidan's features again. He was, again, transfixed on the spectacle of lights across his face that was now unobstructed by his own hand. He was so still he could feel Hidan's pulse against his fingertips. Kakuzu's hand was much larger than Hidan's nimble fingers, and he noticed how their skin tones were contrasted, his own deep skin resting in what was an almost translucent hand. Hands that had been working on him, touching him all day. Capable, and skilled.</p><p>Kakuzu took note of the snow outside again. How long had he been staring at Hidan? Minutes? Hours? He listened to the light orchestra playing breezily from the black and white movie that continued to play over Hidan's face and neck. Kakuzu knew he should pull his fingers back, and break this weird spell.</p><p>Hidan had somehow hypnotized him, persuaded his sensibilities, with his touch and generosity. Kakuzu thought back and wondered if he'd been too open and let on too much to Hidan last night. He wondered if he had said anything while he was asleep.</p><p>He'd never succumbed to charm before, but he wondered if it was really even charm at all. Hidan was now splayed before him, in enticing defenselessness. He left himself unguarded to Kakuzu, who he was slowly learning was a violent, dangerous criminal. Yet he bared his neck to him here, in his bed - a lamb lying with the lion.</p><p>Kakuzu didn't move his fingers from Hidan's hand like he was supposed to. He breathed out as he let his eyes close to return to sleep. He took note of how warm he was without a blanket, and that Hidan was likely not as helpless as he looked.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. On Count</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>the akatsuki like to party baby</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kakuzu's eyes fluttered open at the sound of his phone alarm. His room was now bathed in cold grey light from the window, and the TV was off and silent. He reached his arm over to disengage the alert on his phone placed on the bed-side table. He cleared his throat and propped his chest up off the bed on his elbows.</p><p>His attention immediately went to the other side of the bed where Hidan was just laying hours ago, but now he was gone. They'd both slept over top of the blankets, and he'd laid so delicately, it looked as if no one was ever there at all. Kakuzu blinked as he recalled the events of last night, particularly the hazy memory of watching Hidan sleep.</p><p>Was that a dream? Was that real? Had he really even touched Hidan? Or did he just imagine he did? He remembered his fingers brushing hair, lips, a warm palm, and hoped that the visceral memory was just a hallucination. He'd never woken up next to someone before, never been able to simply examine someone so closely and intimately without the intention of putting a knife in their neck. Did Hidan know he had reached out to touch him? Kakuzu tried to justify his actions in his head, settling on the fact that he was just delirious in sleep. He didn't rule out the fact that it all could have very well been a dream. That’d be much more convenient.</p><p>He pushed himself up and around and sat at the edge of the bed. He rolled his shoulders and tilted his neck, then lifted his arms to stretch them. His back was tight and warm, but his arms, shoulders, and neck felt...<em> great </em>. They hadn't felt this good in years. Kakuzu had grown so used to the tension, the stress he held in his back and limbs, he hadn’t even known how badly he needed relief. He felt lighter, younger even. He sighed as he realized that Hidan was right. He felt a lot better. He'd never tell him though.</p><p>
  <em> 'Hate it when that dick is right.’ </em>
</p><p>He approached the window and looked out to the city’s Saturday morning view. It wasn't snowing anymore, and the sky was a nondescript blank grey with no sun or clouds. Anywhere else it’d be bleak, but here in the busy downtown, it looked natural. It appeared to be just as cold as it had been for the past few days. Kakuzu lingered for a moment as he reached up to rake his hand through his hair. He was starkly reminded of Hidan’s touches on his scalp, how such a simple gesture had him practically drooling on the pillow.</p><p>Kakuzu sharply turned away from the window, destined for a morning shower and tooth-brushing, and he tried to shake off his thoughts about what transpired just hours ago. Would this make things weird for the next two days? He let himself think that Hidan didn’t remember or even know what happened after they’d fallen asleep. But for just a second, he might have hoped it wasn’t just a dream.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kakuzu hustled down the same sidewalk he’d paced once before back toward the tattoo studio. The inch or two of snow was fresh, but already fairly dispersed by many footsteps on the busy weekend morning. He was bundled well in his jacket with a fresh hoodie and pair of sweatpants, and he was glad that his mask and hood kept him warm while walking briskly. He would arrive in only a few minutes, and he wondered how things would go when he walked in the shop. He despised not knowing how interactions and situations would go with Hidan.</p><p>
  <em> Why’s he so damn stressful?’ </em>
</p><p>As he approached the final half-block, he saw Hidan come out of the large glass front doors of the shop. He felt his stomach flip just a bit, and he swallowed down his own composure. Hidan saw him and waved casually, and Kakuzu watched him fish his cigarettes from his coat pocket. No hollering, no chasing, no weird shit – so far so good.</p><p>Kakuzu slowed his gait as he came upon his destination and stopped a few feet from Hidan. He slid his mask down around his chin and took his own cigarettes from his coat pocket. He offered only a cordial nod of his head as he watched Hidan light up.</p><p>“How ya doin’?” Hidan asked as he blew out a breath of smoke, referring to Kakuzu’s sore tattoo. “I know you gotta feel better after I absolutely <em> blessed </em>your ass with that back rub.”</p><p>Kakuzu lit up his cigarette and pocketed his lighter and nodded while looking at the ground, and barely muttered a thank-you. If Hidan was good at anything, it was diffusing tension.</p><p>“My bad for passing out on you,” Hidan started, turning his body toward Kakuzu. “After a couple of minutes, you were out like a fuckin’ light. Then it started snowing, and going back out in the cold just seemed like a real pain in the ass.”</p><p>Kakuzu barely mumbled again that it was fine with a shake of his head, and looked out into the street as he continued puffing his cigarette. He still wasn’t sure what to expect but was grateful for the chance to gauge the situation outside over a smoke. He let Hidan pick up the conversation again.</p><p>“Yeah, I figured I’d get a jump on the day and show myself out. I would have said bye, but you were snoring so fucking loud, I figured you needed your beauty sleep!” Hidan laughed and looked away.</p><p>“I don’t snore.” Kakuzu looked over to him sharply in disagreement.</p><p>“And how the fuck would you know that?” Hidan challenged him. His magenta eyes were lit up with a rowdy smirk.</p><p>Kakuzu couldn’t argue with that, clearly another one of Hidan’s little head-games to get him worked up for his own amusement. He simply took another hit of his cigarette and looked back to the street.</p><p>“And how do you know you don’t snore?” Kakuzu asked him. He already knew Hidan didn’t snore.</p><p>Hidan laughed. “Because you would have kicked me right out on my ass if I did.”</p><p>“You’ve got that right.” Kakuzu quickly agreed with him. </p><p>
  <em> ‘Too early for this shit.’ </em>
</p><p>“Hey, we’re drinking at the shop tonight, you’re stickin’ around, right?” Hidan turned toward Kakuzu, the change of pace and tone disorienting him.</p><p>Kakuzu blinked, and shook his head, not in the habit of agreeing with Hidan if he didn’t have to.</p><p>“Oh c’mon, just think about it, we go up on the roof and listen to music, Kisame gets out his guitar, Deidara does fireworks ‘n shit, it’s a great time!” Hidan pleaded his case. Before Kakuzu could dismiss the invitation to the odd-sounding event again, Sasori and Deidara came through the glass doors to join the pair outside.</p><p>“Kakuzu! You’re coming tonight, right?” Deidara asked, already seeing him through the glass before emerging from the building.</p><p>Hidan pointed a thumb back at Kakuzu while he looked to Deidara. “I’m trying to tell him he’s missing out!”</p><p>Deidara had taken a cigarette from his pack and lit it with a match while nodding. “You really are man, it’s a blast.”</p><p>Kakuzu looked down to his feet then over and away down the sidewalk. “Thanks, but I’m not one for parties.” He didn’t have intentions to be unnecessarily rude but he knew this situation was going to get away from him quickly.</p><p>Sasori’s unnerving brown stare sat above his mask, and his hands stayed in his black jean pockets. “We were hoping you’d join us for a bit,” he directed to Kakuzu. “We wanted to discuss some opportunities with you.”</p><p>Kakuzu already knew what was going to be asked of him, and he immediately considered the most cordial ways to put an end to the suggestions. But, before he could, Deidara spoke up again.</p><p>“We know, you’re retired,” He flicked his cigarette ash to the ground with a smile. “We just wanted to run some ideas by you, that’s all.”</p><p>Kakuzu’s eyes went to Hidan, irritated that he’d clearly been mentioning his business with others. Hidan turned back to him and laid his cards on the table.</p><p>“C’mon, give me a break man, you tell me you’re thirty-four and a <em> retired </em>Accountant? That tells me that, for one; you have plenty of time on your hands, and two; that you must know what the hell you’re doing if you’re retired so damn young.”</p><p>Kakuzu blinked unfazed and unimpressed at Hidan’s song and dance. The fading marks in his eye sockets made him look even more desperate. He knew the group was in need of a financial manager, but he didn’t come to the city for a job interview. Besides, none of them knew that the financial aspect of his career was only just a part of his current lifestyle as a retiree. Nevertheless, Hidan pursued.</p><p>“We don’t just want anybody in here, and we wanted to talk to you about it as a <em> group </em> tonight,” he shot both of his colleagues a glare. “It’s not every day your client turns out to be a prestigious collector <em> and </em> is also the business and finance hot-shot we’ve been after for years!”</p><p>The flattery didn’t budge Kakuzu as he took another draw of his cigarette. He chose to address the group instead of Hidan. “I appreciate the consideration, but it’s not an option.”</p><p>Hidan immediately looked over to the pair who’d joined them. “God damnit, can you two not insert yourself into everything all the fuckin’ time?” Hidan spat through teeth. “You’re makin’ us look desperate!”</p><p>“We <em> are </em> desperate!” Deidara said, as he shrugged his palms up. “I can’t deal with this shit anymore, man! Pain’s not around to take care of it, and I’m sick of pretending I know what I’m doing, and I know you are too!”</p><p>Hidan closed his eyes and sighed. “Alright,” He chose to turn back to Kakuzu. “Forget it man, don’t even worry about it. Just come hang out with us tonight, no pressure, alright?”</p><p>Kakuzu took another hit of his cigarette, and knowing Hidan’s gift for bothering people, he chose to give him the run-around. “I’ll see how my back’s feeling after today’s session.” He looked off in the distance again to disengage from the group.</p><p>Hidan looked satisfied enough with that statement for the time being. “Alright, great, fine, perfect, let’s finish up our smoke break here, and we’ll get started.”</p><p>Kakuzu sighed while the others went silent as well for a moment as they finished their cigarettes. Kakuzu was surprised that Hidan had spoken highly of him to his colleagues. They seemed to all be on board about offering him an important position at their studio. He noted that Hidan had remembered his age, and he couldn’t quite remember where he’d gotten that information. Kakuzu didn’t actually know if he’d join them this evening, but he knew it was better for everyone if he kept it short and left when his piece was finished.</p><p>Sasori finally spoke up. “Smoking is very bad for you.” He looked back and forth with emotionless eyes to Hidan and Deidara.</p><p>“Then why the <em> fuck </em>did you come out here?” Hidan snapped.</p><p>“To socialize.”</p><p>Deidara scoffed, and cursed at him to go back inside.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Hidan had gotten started tattooing Kakuzu’s back quickly, as always. Kakuzu could honestly say he’d grown to admire this about him, even if day two brought more pain than the first. It was almost as if the egotistical SBJ persona really was a different person. The artful, professional side of Hidan came naturally, just as much as his outbursts and general shamelessness. It was like two sides of the same coin. The duality was unexpected, but impressive.</p><p>“Did you jack off a lot in jail?” Hidan didn’t look up, and stayed focused on his work.</p><p>Kakuzu simply closed his eyes and sighed. He wasn’t even mad at this point, having moved beyond shocked, irate and even irritated to simply accept Hidan’s outrageous bullshit. He knew that Hidan’s entire motive was to rattle his cage. The less he gave, the better.</p><p>“That’s a serious question, I assume you were in for a while, I’d guess that’d get boring as fuck, right?” Hidan asked. Kakuzu immediately assessed that Hidan was just trying to get more information about the specifics regarding his incarceration. With his head still turned in the opposite direction of Hidan, he again, said nothing.</p><p>Hidan withdrew, machine going quiet as he took his foot from the pedal. “Look, this is doctor-client privilege here. Anything and everything you tell me is fully confidential.”</p><p>“Well, seeing as how you ran your mouth about my personal business to your friends, I’m not so sure I trust you on that.” Kakuzu nearly regretted engaging at all, but it was true. “And you’re not a fucking doctor.”</p><p>Hidan wiped down Kakuzu’s back. “First off, not my friends – more like…ugly step-sisters. Second, yeah, I told them about how my client has the potential to be the best thing to ever happen to the shop if we play it fucking cool. Well – best thing ever besides me, anyway. Nothing about your colorful past as a convict though.”</p><p>Kakuzu scowled. “Told you I was retired, I don’t know why you’d tell anyone anything.” Kakuzu’s patience was running thinner than usual with the tattoo artist still pushing away at his sore back.</p><p>“Yeah, I get it, but we figured just about anybody can be convinced for the right price.” Hidan spoke in a language that Kakuzu knew much better than flattery, but he wasn’t as easily persuaded by that any longer. That was still many years and many lifetimes out of the question.</p><p>“There are plenty of other well-suited financial advisors, especially in this city, who are actually looking for a job,” Kakuzu stated seriously. “Why don’t you just talk to them?”</p><p>Hidan gave a small smile and raised his brows. He slowly re-dipped in ink, and barely laughed a bit to himself as he thought of his answer. He pressed the buzzing needle cluster back in to Kakuzu’s back, and breathed out once.</p><p>“Because none of them are as interesting as you. That probably sounds so fucking lame, but that’s the honest answer, man. I’ve never met anybody quite like you…and I know I never will.” Hidan’s tone remained cheerful and breezy.</p><p>Kakuzu wasn’t sure what to say. He felt that weird feeling in his stomach that he got when he woke up and found Hidan just sleeping next to him like some house cat he hadn’t invited up on the bed. He blinked and thought about what Hidan was saying to him. He understood that Hidan loved to get reactions out of people, he loved to ruffle their feathers, but this was something else entirely. Was this just another weird way to get under his skin?</p><p>“Are your colleagues aware of my criminal background?” Kakuzu half admitted, half asked as he winced a bit from a sharp movement of shading over some of his ribs. He figured he’d try to doubt Hidan’s own starry-eyed opinion of him.</p><p>“<em>I’m </em> not even aware of your criminal background,” Hidan reminded him with a shrug. “You’re not exactly an open book with the shit.”</p><p>Another sigh from Kakuzu. “Well, I doubt that your organization would appreciate a felon running their taxes and legal documents.”</p><p>Hidan stifled his laugh. His fellow artists were far from innocent, much farther than their decorated and esteemed portfolios would let on. However, Hidan continued to follow Kakuzu down the trail he’d made himself.</p><p>“A felon, huh?” Hidan asked.</p><p>“That’s right.” Kakuzu stated. “And not a juvenile one either.” He added, referring back to Hidan’s own criminal history.</p><p>“So I’m betting you spent more than eighteen months like I did, huh? Especially in the pent-house suite?” Hidan asked, throwing in his own referral of Kakuzu’s information.</p><p>Kakuzu had forgotten that he’d given bits of information to Hidan just the night prior in his hotel room, sleep-drunk and susceptible. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. He wasn’t that interested in holding up the front after the hours put in grinding his back today alone. He spent a moment in silence, and Hidan let him.</p><p>
  <em> 'Fuck it.’ </em>
</p><p>“Ten years.” Kakuzu spoke up, as he kept his eyes closed. Hidan paused a moment to listen. “Well, nine-six.” He corrected himself to specify the years and months.</p><p>Hidan nodded and continued on with his tattoo, knowing he’d gotten Kakuzu in a place where he’d be willing to share more.</p><p>“A dime, huh?” Hidan whistled. “That's a long stay, when’d you get out?”</p><p>“About six years ago.” Kakuzu offered.</p><p>“Jesus,” Hidan sat back for a moment to calculate on his hands. “So that means you were-“</p><p>“I was nineteen.” Kakuzu finished for him.</p><p>Hidan was actually surprised at this – that was a long ass time for someone that age. Each answer only gave more questions, but he’d choose each one carefully. Hidan started to learn the pattern, the game they played here. Kakuzu would finally let up and Hidan would be allowed some leniency. He could ask questions, but would be reminded of the limits if he pressed too far.</p><p>“What was that like?” Hidan asked him, honestly. Worried that it was too vague, he added on. “It must have been hard to get hit with ten years so young.”</p><p>Kakuzu surprised Hidan, and he turned his head to face him again. Hidan looked down to him, but Kakuzu chose to stare at Hidan’s knee instead of glancing up to him. He took in a short breath before answering.</p><p>“I was facing life, possible death sentence. I accepted a plea deal, for a lesser charge in which the statutory maximum of ten years was recommended. That was a considerably favorable outcome.” Kakuzu spoke softly, almost as if he was telling secrets. He <em> was </em>telling secrets.</p><p>Hidan swallowed and tried not to let on how baffled he was. He simply nodded again. He pieced together some of the legal terms. He knew plenty of criminal charges, combinations of them, and prior offenses could carry or lead up to a maximum sentence of ten years, but he knew of even less that could warrant a life sentence. Only one that really carried the death penalty. He didn’t think Kakuzu would tell him what he did, or what exactly he was in on, but he did know what he was implying.</p><p>“Damn, must have had some real decent lawyers.” Hidan let it be more of a leading question.</p><p>Kakuzu muttered an agreement. “Good money gets good attorneys.”</p><p>Hidan nodded. “So you were an accountant before all this then?” He’d mentioned money again. “Had enough for a good legal team?”</p><p>Kakuzu cleared his throat. “Yes, for the most part.”</p><p>Hidan knew this was some type of code, or some sort of half-truth this whole time. He knew it and Kakuzu knew that Hidan knew it, but it was one of the rules, the parameters in place for how they communicated. Hidan wondered if he’d ever find out the whole truth.</p><p>“A nineteen year old accountant who could afford a legal team? Now do you understand why I want you on the books?” Hidan brought the conversation back around, indicating to Kakuzu that his initial plan of dissuading him wasn’t going to work.</p><p>“I’m retired for a reason.” Kakuzu stated simply. Hidan knew he probably wouldn’t get that reason. At least any time soon.</p><p>“Well now that you’re retired, what else are you doing with your time? Just sittin’ around and wasting all your money on tattoos?” Hidan asked him yet again, but with a joke added on.</p><p>Kakuzu actually glanced up at Hidan, almost offended. “I have plenty of financial diversifications, shares, and investments. I’ll have more in three years than I have today in just those profits alone.”</p><p>Hidan almost laughed at how out of character Kakuzu’s boasting was. He used it to his advantage. “How is this supposed to convince me that you’re not the perfect guy for the job?”</p><p>“It’s supposed to convince you that I have better things to do than run bookwork for a tattoo shop downtown.” Kakuzu stated rather bluntly. He almost regretted being too harsh.</p><p>“What if I said please?” Hidan asked sweetly.</p><p>Kakuzu sighed and rolled his eyes shut in resignation to the conversation.</p><p>Before either of them could start up again, a familiar voice was at the door.</p><p>“Yo!” It was Kisame. Kakuzu turned his head to his large frame in the doorway as he quickly approached him to look at his back and address Hidan. “This is lookin’ so good, I can’t wait 'til you piece up the background!”</p><p>Kisame turned his attention to Kakuzu on the bed. “Hey, did Hidan tell you to stick around and hang out tonight?”</p><p>
  <em> 'Fucking told this guy too?’ </em>
</p><p>“Yeah, Deidara and Sasori blew up the fucking spot and told him about our plan,” Hidan stated glumly as he continued his work. “Nosy bastards, <em> and </em>they can’t keep their mouth shut.”</p><p>Kisame crossed his arms and leaned his weight to his other leg. “Well, you know, the guy said he was retired.” He smiled down at Kakuzu, likely another slick tactic to get on his good side.</p><p>Hidan shot a look up at him. “Wow, at least <em> they </em> were on my fuckin’ team. Now you’re agreeing with him? What a dickhead.”</p><p>Kisame laughed. “Yeah, well, maybe if you put on a couple years like us grown-ups here, you’ll understand.”</p><p>“I’ll understand that you’re a fuckin’ traitor,” Hidan said under his breath.</p><p>Kisame looked to Kakuzu again with a smile still on his face. “You’re still coming to the party though, right?”</p><p>Kakuzu blinked, knowing what his angle was. He cleared his throat, and he went with the same casual dismissal as earlier. “I’ll see how I feel once I’m done for the day.”</p><p>Hidan spoke up in exasperation once again, sitting up from his work. “Ah, give it a rest, just come hang out with us! You’re gonna leave on Sunday, you might as well get some free booze out of it.”</p><p>Kakuzu looked down to the floor and wondered if it was really such a terrible idea. Hidan did make good points when he really had to. And he did like seeing Hidan get riled up by his fellow artists.</p><p>Kisame spoke up again. “You like whiskey? I’ve got this bottle of scotch as old as me, and I don’t want to waste it on these ungrateful brats.”</p><p>Hidan didn’t look up from the tattoo he’d started back on. “It’s all true - I’m a brat, and he’s old.”</p><p>Kakuzu didn’t linger on the fact Kisame was likely a few years younger than him. He did however consider his appreciation for stiff drinks. This definitely seemed like a risky choice, but they were inviting him with no pretenses anymore. He remembered the thought he had about this being his own little vacation. Would it really be so bad to enjoy himself for an evening?</p><p>Kakuzu gave his usual nod of approval to the floor. “Alright.” Kisame’s maturity play had worked on him.</p><p>Kisame laughed in victory and turned to leave. “Whiskey’s always the answer!” He turned back as he got to the doorway, and pointed to Hidan. “Just watch out for this one - he gets a little feisty when he drinks.”</p><p>They both flipped each other off as Kisame disappeared down the hallway. Hidan didn’t have anything to say as he returned back to his work, a beaming grin plastered on his face.</p><p>Kakuzu sighed as he tried to relax his hurting back as the needles steadily drilled away. He closed his eyes and thought about his decision. His hotel was just a few minutes away. He could leave whenever he wanted. He already told them he wouldn’t take their offer. Nothing to lose. But still, that weird feeling in his stomach coiled. <em> ‘That whiskey better be good.’ </em></p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>A large bottle rocket screeched off into the black Saturday night sky. It was cold, but not freezing, city sky still starless but lit up with sparks from intermittent fireworks. They popped off several smoky bursts of light in the air, and a few laughs and hollers could be heard.</p><p>The roof of the Akatsuki Tattoo Studio and Art Collective was outfitted quite amicably for an outdoor gettogether. The fresh snow had mostly melted or drifted through the day, and it felt more like cold fall than frigid winter. It was certainly better suited for warm weather, but it was a decent place to drink and smoke with friends on a chilly night. Or at least to shoot off firecrackers.</p><p>Kakuzu stood near a high ledge, and the smoke of a cigarette poured white from his mouth in the cold air. He was finishing his second glass of Kisame’s fabled scotch, neat, served to him at room temperature from his wild but organized studio desk in the dark. Just a few hours prior, he had headed back to his hotel to shower and change clothes after a long day of even more painful tattooing before heading back to the shop. He’d arrived just a bit after they’d gotten started with the festivities.</p><p>They’d already spent some time inside pouring drinks and looking over each other’s newest works and plans from studio to studio. Kisame had played his guitar for a bit and Deidara had challenged Hidan to an arm-wrestling match. Hidan won, but lost to the immediately suggested thumb-wrestling round. Kakuzu declined their challenges, and Kisame stepped in to beat them both. Itachi sampled a drink Sasori tried his hand at making – much too strong for him, but perfect for Hidan.</p><p>When Kisame had suggested a round of tequila shots, everyone indulged, including Kakuzu. Kisame gave a loud and funny toast to their shop, and all of their small glasses clinked together. Despite their constant bickering, jabs and bull-shitting one another, Kakuzu now understood why they willingly hung out with each other. There was a balance to their constant energy. They played off one another, complimenting each other in a peculiar but honest way.</p><p>He now watched Deidara rifle around his bag for his next explosive with a cigarette looming from his mouth. Sasori was nested comfortably and quietly tipsy in a patio chair wrapped in a blanket as he observed the blonde man’s drunken tinkering. Sasori was the smallest of the group, and he appeared almost childlike now that he was bundled up and sleepy, while awaiting the next explosion.</p><p>He observed Itachi and Hidan standing at either end of a long plastic table, warming up for what Kakuzu recognized to be Beer Pong. Itachi had a glass full of something dark red in his hand, probably wine, and took a small sip as he cocked back an arm and tossed a ball effortlessly in to one of the many red plastic cups in front of Hidan. Hidan finished a beer and crushed the can and threw it as he cursed at Itachi for what must have been cheating. He threw his own ball and missed and barked out another loud obscenity.</p><p>Kakuzu blinked and could feel the alcohol moving through him, warming his face and chest from the inside, making it not so cold out anymore. Kisame was not lying about this stuff being the real deal. He took the final large sip from his glass with a small grimace, and decided this was the last one for the night. He’d soon thank Kisame for the drinks, say his quiet goodbye to everyone, and head back for an early night in.<em> ‘Can’t be hungover for tomorrow’s last session.’ </em></p><p>Before he could decline, Kisame was right behind him, pouring Kakuzu’s glass back to over half-full again. “This shit is the best, huh?” He took a sip of his own drink as he made his way over to the table. “Come play doubles!” Kisame waved him over to join their game.</p><p>Kakuzu watched Kisame round the table to stand with his predetermined partner Itachi. Hidan looked back to him expectantly.</p><p>“C’mon stud, I need a partner!” Hidan cracked open a fresh beer which foamed and spilled as he took a few large gulps. Kakuzu knew he had to be pretty drunk at this point, and he also felt like he may have had too much for his own liking as well – especially considering the obscene amount of whiskey that Kisame had just topped him off with.</p><p>Kakuzu shook his head and took another drag of his cigarette. Of course he wasn’t going to play, no matter how much Hidan ran his little mouth.</p><p>Hidan, of course, ran his little mouth. “Big guy’s afraid to arm wrestle, and now he’s scared of a little friendly beer pong, what’s the fuckin’ problem?”</p><p>Kakuzu simply blinked at him, as he usually did at the start of his antagonistic rants. Kisame spoke up for him.</p><p>“Hey, how bout we make it interesting?” Kisame reached in his back pocket and retrieved two twenty dollar bills from a leather wallet, and placed them in the center of the table. “Now, Itachi and I hold the title, and always will. So how about we see who can make the most out of you two? I’ll bet Hidan, and you bet on yourself – that is, if you’ve got what it takes.”</p><p>Kakuzu squinted his eyes at Kisame as he and Itachi smiled in his direction, awaiting his decision. Hidan laughed at the proposition, too drunk to figure out who he was supposed to be mad at, and tried to snatch the bills from the table as Kisame caught them in time. Kakuzu never thought of himself as competitive, but perhaps that was in his nature now that he was moderately intoxicated. He was still well aware of the long-con Kisame was playing with this game. He flicked his cigarette out and approached the table.</p><p>He took his own wallet from his pocket. “No, I think we’ll bet on the title.” He said, placing his own forty dollars on the table, and taking up his position next to his new partner. Hidan looked up to him with a shocked but thrilled open-mouth grin on his face. Kisame crossed his arms over his chest and laughed.</p><p>“You really think you two can dethrone the champions?” He asked, referring to himself and Itachi, who simply smirked with a hand on his hip.</p><p>Kakuzu took a large sip of the strong whisky from his glass. “No - but I think <em> I </em> can.” He said, openly disparaging his partner. Deidara lit off another loud screeching firecracker, and it scattered sparks into the night sky once again, followed by a drunken yell from him, the shadow of smoke still visible.</p><p>Hidan took another loud gulp from his beer, letting Kakuzu make his remark. “Hey, if you feel like losing forty bucks ‘cuz I’m shitfaced, that’s on you.”</p><p>Kakuzu glanced over at Hidan who was smiling, happy to instill doubt in his partner. Hidan looked like he did that night in the parking lot – lit up with artificial light. Eyes glowing almost red despite how drunk he was. He looked back to Kisame who raised his eyebrows, and Itachi raised his glass to their game.</p><p>Kakuzu was surprised at his own boldness, but he was officially drunk. Even though he’d never been one for gambling, something told him to take a chance tonight.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. The Agitator</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this shit is HEATING UP fellas.........</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been close all three games, but Hidan and Kakuzu had held their own against Kisame and Itachi. They had all grown increasingly drunk, and less accurate with their throws, but Kakuzu felt relieved by the whisky numbing his back. Kakuzu had never played, so Hidan had to teach him the strange, arbitrary rules of the game as they went. Kisame had several objections, and there were multiple arguments regarding the validity of said rules.</p><p>Hidan was not a good sport, and hurled at least two balls from the roof, and Itachi had to fish replacements from his jacket. Kisame laughed hard as he would throw fits, and Kakuzu would also smile at this. He knew they would likely lose the game to the more composed pair, but they had still played well despite Kakuzu having never played, and Hidan being hammered. They all laughed and cheered with one another despite the competition. Kakuzu somehow felt that he’d known these men much longer than two days.</p><p>Kakuzu lined up his hand to throw his ball next, and Hidan watched as his wrist appeared as the sleeve of his jacket slid down to reveal it. He admired the stitching he had around the wrist, and was as usual, fascinated by it.</p><p>“Hey,” he interrupted Kakuzu. “Those are so fuckin’ cool, man”</p><p>Kakuzu didn’t throw the ball. “What?” he asked, turning to look at Hidan’s glossy eyes staring at his arm.</p><p>“Those stitches,” Hidan stated, and reached out and grabbed his arm, drunk and distracted from the game. “I want ‘em. I want one of them.”</p><p>Kakuzu blinked and pulled his arm away. “Can you get your shit together? They only have three more cups.”</p><p>“No, yeah, for sure, I just want one of those,” Hidan slurred. “On my ankle, I want you to do it. I want you to tattoo one on my ankle.” He smiled at his own brilliance as he came up with the idea mid-sentence.</p><p>Kakuzu looked at him with confusion. “You want me to tattoo your ankle?”</p><p>Kisame interrupted. “<em>You </em>do a tattoo on Hidan?”</p><p>Hidan spoke again “Yup,” he stated matter-of-factly. “That-That’s what I want, right now.”</p><p>Kakuzu shook his head at the nonsense, but Kisame spoke up again.</p><p>“If you tattoo Hidan right now, I’ll give you this eighty bucks,” Kisame said, laughing with anticipation, both he and Itachi willing to abandon the game. This caught Sasori and Deidara’s attention from the ledge of the roof. “Yeah, I’ll be out forty bucks, but we keep our title, <em> and </em> we get to see this shit go down!”</p><p>Kakuzu looked around at the eyes staring at him expectantly. Why did Hidan want one of these? Why did Hidan want Kakuzu to do it? Everyone was entirely too drunk for this. He considered this to be absolutely the most irresponsible, ridiculous, and unnecessary thing he’d heard since he got to this city. But eighty bucks was eighty bucks.</p><p>Kakuzu nodded his usual approval, maybe a bit slower than usual. “Alright.” He agreed.</p><p>Kisame clapped his hands together, and he even heard Itachi chuckle. Deidara immediately got to his feet to hoist up Sasori, and Hidan crushed the last of his beer.</p><p>“Hell yeah, fuckin’ <em> tat’ time </em>!” Hidan yelled out, and sprinted to the metal stairs on the back end of the roof, leaving Kakuzu behind as if he wasn’t the one who’d be doing it. Kakuzu turned to watch him and finished what was his forth? No, fifth glass of whisky. He shook his head for allowing himself to get so carried away, and at the stupid term Hidan just yelled out. Kisame brought up the rear, almost skipping with elation, and Deidara dragged Sasori by the arm, all of them laughing and excited to get inside and watch the shit-show unfold.</p><p>Kakuzu sighed, and moved to follow them, but he heard a voice behind him.</p><p>“Kakuzu,” he turned to see Itachi who was holding his eighty dollars for him to take. “Thanks for playing with us tonight. I know it might be a bit of a childish game, but Kisame and Hidan really enjoy it.”</p><p>Kakuzu took the bills from Itachi’s hand and slid them to sit next to the wallet in his back pocket. He nodded. “Thank you for inviting me.”</p><p>“Of course,” Itachi’s dark black eyes looked kind even in the cold light of the roof, just the two of them. “We know you won’t be able to accept our offer, but we do hope that you’ll pay us a visit again after this weekend.”</p><p>Kakuzu wasn’t sure what to say. No one had brought up the position to him at the party until now. He looked down to his own feet and nodded once, feeling just the slightest bit dizzy. “I’ll see about that.”</p><p>“Good.” Itachi smiled and stepped away to start towards the stairs to join the group. He stopped after a few steps, and barely cocked his jaw to the side over his shoulder, but chose to keep his eyes on the bright crescent moon in the sky in front of him.</p><p>“Hidan must think very highly of you. In all our years together, I’ve never seen him leave his place to take dinner to a client.” Itachi turned his head back and continued.</p><p>“This piece he’s been working on for you,” Itachi picked up walking again. “It’s really brought out the best in him.”</p><p>Kakuzu was left to stand there alone, pondering Itachi’s profound statement of both acute observance and flattery. It brought his mind back to dinner with Hidan, just a day ago, almost forgetting the bizarre and mystifying night he shared with him that he had almost forgotten tonight. His thoughts flashed back to the images burned in his brain. Hidan’s soft skin, his warm body next to him as the snow fell, reaching out just to see, just to remind himself that he was real.</p><p>He cleared his throat and retrieved the pack from his pocket. He’d have a smoke before he went inside to clear his spinning head. It was the scotch making him have that weird feeling in his chest – not Hidan.</p><p>Kakuzu finished his quick cigarette as he made his way across the roof of the shop, down the metal stairs and to the back door of the shop in the alley directly beneath it. He pulled open the unlocked back door to the dark entry-way and slid out of his jacket. The only light was from the glowing neon exit sign casting an eerie dark red glow to the back room, and the bright white light down the hall from Hidan’s open studio door. He could hear laughter and a tattoo machine buzzing as it was set up.</p><p>He made his way down the hall, realizing that it was somewhat harder than usual to walk straight, and considered that maybe this wasn’t the best idea. He thought about the money in his pocket, and convinced himself that it’d be alright. <em> ‘All the shit you’ve done, you can fuckin’ tattoo some dumbass.’ </em></p><p>As Kakuzu entered, he stumbled upon Hidan on his tattoo table – something he’d not seen before, as that was usually his own spot for the greater half of the day. He had his shoes off, and on his left leg, he had a pant leg pulled up and he was missing a sock. Kakuzu assumed this was the ankle he’d selected for his new tattoo. Kisame was setting up the machine, and Itachi and Deidara stood near the armchair where Sasori was seated, still wrapped in his blanket.</p><p>“Fuck yeah,” Hidan punctuated with a burp. “It’s the man of the hour!” He pointed at Kakuzu with a smile, and Kisame smiled up to him in the doorway as well.</p><p>Itachi reached out and handed Kakuzu a dark blue sharpie, just like he had done for Hidan at his first session. He knew this was to be used for the initial design stencil, and suddenly felt a little nervous as Kisame stood and motioned to the stool for him to sit on.</p><p>“Alright, go for it, man!” He said as Kakuzu made his way over and seated himself on the stool. He looked up at Hidan who was yelling as nicely as possible for Deidara to get him a beer, and he looked down at the ankle in front of him. It was covered seamlessly from foot to shin to calf and back in more colorful ink. Kakuzu uncapped the marker and wondered for a moment what the rest of his tattooed body looked like.</p><p>“Just put it - put it around the whole thing, just go r-right over top the fuckin’ thing, man,” Hidan spoke with his hand out to make sure Kakuzu knew he was speaking to him. He was referring to his already heavily tattooed leg, indicating that Kakuzu was free to drill right over it with the black ink. His eyes were closed as he continued. “Just follow your heart, m’kay?”</p><p>Kakuzu almost laughed with everyone else at his strange instructions, and he shrugged his shoulders and drew the line around the pale man’s ankle steadily. The small stitching came next as he worked to space them out consistently.</p><p>“Looks great, man,” Deidara smiled from across the room, only marginally more functional than Hidan. “You got a real eye for this shit.”</p><p>Kakuzu finished and capped the marker, nodding his head up to Hidan. “Do-…do you want to see it first or-“</p><p>Hidan cut him off by exaggeratedly shaking his head back and forth with his eyes closed. “No way man, where’s the fun in that?! I trust you, j-just do your thing, man.” He cracked open the fresh beer Deidara had retrieved him.</p><p>Kakuzu was startled to hear the tattoo machine buzzing next to him, as Kisame had moved over to his side and gave him a pair of his own large black nitrile gloves to wear. As he put them on, Kisame showed him how to work the peddle, dip for ink, and hold his anchor points.</p><p>“Alright, fuck off, let the artist <em> work </em> !” Hidan yelled impatiently, held up on his own elbow with his beer returning to his lips. “He knows what he’s doin’, arl-ar- <em> alright </em>?” The group laughed reminding him that he most certainly did not know what he was doing. Kakuzu actually chuckled under his breath at his own nervous excitement.</p><p>Kisame handed him the heavy gun, and Kakuzu gulped as he looked up to Hidan. He was quite inebriated, and the alcohol and stage-fright finally hit him and his heart skipped a beat. Kisame or someone else who knew what they were doing would be able to do this no problem - was this really the best idea? He cleared his throat again.</p><p>“Are you sure you want me to do this?” He asked, tentatively, almost hoping Hidan would say no.</p><p>Hidan’s drunken eyes opened, and met with Kakuzu’s.</p><p>“Don’t make me beg, Daddy.” He smirked as his tongue dipped from his mouth to lick his front teeth.</p><p>Kakuzu’s eyes squinted and he pressed the pedal down with his foot, turning on the machine, not looking away from Hidan eyes, he noticed were still bruised purple. “You asked for it.”</p><p>Kakuzu pushed his needle down to Hidan’s ankle, and he carefully dragged it to the side, just as he’d been shown. Hidan, Kisame and Deidara all let out cheers and encouraging obscenities and even Itachi clapped a few times as Kakuzu dove in and got started. Hidan took a swig from his beer and looked down at Kakuzu who was deep in concentration.</p><p>“Yo, make sure you get all the way around, my dude, I’m not paying you for a half-assed job.” Hidan slurred down to him jokingly.</p><p>Kakuzu redipped in ink, and continued. “You’re not paying me at all.” He reminded him.</p><p>Hidan laughed down to him. “Well we fuckin’ tried to, asshole!” he joked, the room laughed with him.</p><p>Kakuzu stopped for a moment, and looked up to Hidan and smiled, but just before he could say anything, a flash of light filled the room.</p><p>“Jesus, Dei, we weren’t even fuckin’ ready!” Hidan squeezed his eyes shut and yelled. Kakuzu looked over and Deidara was holding a Polaroid camera that made a noise as it slowly cranked out a square photograph to develop.</p><p>Deidara laughed sloppily. “Sorry, o-okay, get ready, I’ll take another one.”</p><p>“Here!” Kisame moved from the side of the room and handed Kakuzu the half empty bottle of scotch to pose with in the picture. Kakuzu smirked, and tilted the bottle up in the air as he took a deep swig, and Hidan stuck his tongue out as he held his beer out for the camera. Deidara snapped the picture and the flash of light burst through the room a second time.</p><p>Kakuzu wasn’t sure what came over him, but he felt free and safe enough to laugh and joke with these people – these strangers. He didn’t question it because he knew he wouldn’t find an answer as to why. Instead, he chose to be in the moment, for once in his life, knowing it’d all be over once he sobered up.</p><p>“Ooooh yeah, that’s one for the scrap book.” Hidan said, absolutely sure of the picture’s quality without seeing it. Deidara taped it under the other Polaroids he’d taken that were placed on Hidan’s mirror.</p><p>It didn’t take much longer for Kakuzu to finish up. From the encouragement of the group, to Hidan’s reassurance, he actually might have had fun doing it. For his first time, drunk for that matter, he wouldn’t say that it was half bad. He wondered if he’d ever do this again for anyone, and wondered if he’d even have the courage to do so while sober. Hidan barely reacted to the sensation of being tattooed by a first-timer, but then again, he was likely only one drink away from blacking out.</p><p>Kakuzu withdrew, and Kisame wiped down his ankle to check his work, and he was given an all-clear. Hidan hopped off the bed about as swiftly as a drunkard could, and stood in the mirror to admire his fresh ink.</p><p>“This is so fuckin’ <em> sick</em>, I look so <em> cool,</em>” Hidan swayed as he admired his own small tattoo as if he’d never had one before. “Kisame, te-tell me how cool I look. Dei, look how cool I look.”</p><p>Deidara wasn’t even in the room anymore, as he and Sasori had taken to the front lobby to sit by the fire, while Itachi was grabbing himself another glass of wine. Kisame laughed as he finished breaking down the machine set-up for them. “Yeah buddy, you look very cool.” He redirected his attention toward Kakuzu.</p><p>“That actually wasn’t half bad, especially for being wasted.” Kisame complimented. “Really, nice job.”</p><p>Kakuzu’s brows knitted as he shook his head a bit to dismiss it. “The cash was worth it.” Kakuzu knew deep down he didn’t do it for the cash, but he really wasn’t sure what made him do it.</p><p>“Maybe you’d do better as a tattooist than a retired accountant.” Kisame winked. “Come hang out in the lobby when you’re done with Sloppy over here.” Kisame headed out of the room to join the others leaving him with just Hidan in the studio.</p><p>Hidan struggled to take a drink from an empty beer can, and threw it at his trashcan and missed as it rattled loudly to the floor. “I need some <em> coleslaw </em> or something. I’m fucked.” Hidan stated, finally becoming self-aware of his own level of intoxication.</p><p>Hidan turned to look at Kakuzu standing behind him, who was giving him the most confused look he’d given him yet.</p><p>“Coleslaw? What the <em> fuck </em> are you talking about?” Kakuzu shook his head incredulously at the completely nonsensical statement.</p><p>“Yeah, I don’t know, like, some- I need somethin’ to eat.” Hidan laughed weakly as he shuffled over to his shoes and braced the wall to put them on. He still was only wearing one sock, but he didn’t seem to notice or mind.</p><p>Kakuzu thought about it, and he was also pretty hungry, and would be better off if he sobered up. He agreed with Hidan with a nod. “Yeah, me too.”</p><p>“Okay, <em> shhh </em> , listen,” Hidan clapped his hands together, his blinking was out of sync. Kakuzu wasn’t sure why he was being hushed as he wasn’t even speaking. “Me ‘n you, okay? Are gonna go walk to the store.” Hidan started whispering for some reason. “And we’re gonna get some snacks...n’ we’re gonna come back here and <em> eat </em> ‘em, okay?”</p><p>Kakuzu nodded at the plan. Seemed very simple, and he wasn’t sure what about it required so much focus for Hidan, but he was up and walking down the hall before he could stop him.</p><p>“HEY! Me and Kakuzu are going to the corner store!” Hidan hollered down the hall up to the lobby. They barely heard a weak acknowledgement or two from up the long hall as Kisame had started playing his guitar again.</p><p>“You’re not going to ask them if they want anything?” Kakuzu asked following him. <em> ‘Rude.’ </em></p><p>“<em>Psh </em>, fuck those guys.” Hidan said, ambling down the dark hall toward the back door. Kakuzu then assumed that they would have told him if they needed anything.</p><p>Kakuzu still frowned and followed Hidan. “Here, put on your coat.” He held it out for Hidan to put on.</p><p>“<em>Put on your coat</em>,” Hidan mocked as he slipped his arms in behind him. “You didn’t have to wear a coat last time.” Hidan said, referring to Kakuzu choosing to go shirtless on his balcony outside the night prior. Kakuzu chose not to give it a remark as he followed Hidan out the back door to the alley on their way to the undisclosed corner store he was alluding to.</p><p>The store was only a few buildings behind them as they turned the corner and emerged from the alley. The walk was about half as short as it was to Kakuzu’s hotel, and might have been shorter if Hidan was less drunk. He spent the walk telling Kakuzu how excited he was to get his snacks, and he listed a few items that he was absolutely going to collect. Kakuzu just listened as he carried on.</p><p>They quickly came upon the fluorescent-lit shop. They both donned their masks, and Hidan rushed in as the bell above the door dinged and waved at the cashier with a loud greeting by name. Of course he knew everyone around here, and Kakuzu remembered when the woman at the register at the grocery knew him by name too.</p><p>It was so bright, it hurt Kakuzu’s eyes, and it smelled of heavily scented soap. It was out of date, and crowded with shelves, but despite the narrow, high-stacked aisles, it was well stocked  – food, toiletries, beer, and cigarettes.</p><p>Like a kid in a candy store, almost literally, Hidan filled his arms with chips, crackers, candies, and drinks to his heart’s content. He continued his boisterous conversation with the man at the register as he perused the small store. He hoisted his bounty on the counter as the cashier already knew what cigarettes he needed, and placed them down for him as they continued their delighted conversation. Hidan looked over his shoulder to ask Kakuzu if he needed a pack, but he declined.</p><p>Instead of browsing the colorful corner-store, Kakuzu had become aware that they were being followed by two men once they emerged from the alley. He stood alert and still, with his mask on his face as he kept an eye on both the store door and Hidan’s back.</p><p>Hidan said a noisy goodbye to the happy cashier who had put everything on his tab, and he made his way back out the door with two large plastic bags of drinks and snacks. Kakuzu followed closely behind him, and moved to walk next to him.</p><p>“What’s your problem? I thought you were - I thought you were hungry!” Hidan asked as he interrupted himself mid-sentence with a hiccup.</p><p>Kakuzu didn’t respond as he walked with both hands out of his pockets in fists, eyes darting around his surroundings, cursing himself for being this drunk. He didn’t see any sign of them, and he considered that he could have just imagined it. Kakuzu tried to doubt himself since he’d been out of this game for a long while, but he knew in his gut when he was being tailed.</p><p>“Hey, what the f-“ Hidan had tried to turn to get Kakuzu’s attention again but his drunken clumsy feet stepped over each other and he stumbled. Without thinking, already on guard, Kakuzu snatched Hidan up by his bicep before he hit the ground.</p><p>Kakuzu stared at Hidan’s face, looking him over instinctually. Hidan’s eyes went big and he blinked a few times before he snorted. “Oopsie.” His eyes were still glassy and intoxicated, but cheerful. He was so clueless and innocent sometimes, Kakuzu felt as if he walked around with a target on his back.</p><p>Kakuzu hoisted Hidan against his side with his arm around his lower back, and grabbed the bags with his other fist and walked them both purposefully down the street. Kakuzu took note of how light he felt in just one of his arms, and that heat in his chest and stomach came back as he maneuvered them down the sidewalk together. He tried to push that feeling away as he attempted to stay aware of his immediate surroundings.</p><p>Hidan laughed again, almost giddy. “A personal escort <em> and </em> you’re carryin’ my purse? Wow, what a hunk.”</p><p>Kakuzu ignored his stupid comment, that was maybe a little funny, as he continued to hold firmly to Hidan. He rounded the corner into the alley and his senses were on red alert as he approached the back door to the shop. Kakuzu felt relieved as the entry was in sight for them to dip into and lock behind them, but Hidan stopped and went for his cigarettes in his pocket.</p><p>“Hidan, we can’t be out here.” Kakuzu said firmly.</p><p>Hidan scoffed and lit his cigarette. “’Fuck are you talkin’ about?”</p><p>“It’s not safe.” He insisted. Hidan blew out a puff of smoke.</p><p>“Not <em> safe </em>? This is my fuckin’ backyard dude, what are-“ Hidan’s argument was cut off by a voice down the opposite side of the alley they they’d come back in on.</p><p>“Hey <em> faggots!</em>” A large man called out. It was dark, but another man could be seen behind him and he spoke up as well.</p><p>“You and your boyfriend out for a little date?” The second man laughed as they made their way toward the two.</p><p>Kakuzu’s blood ran icy with adrenaline as he saw the glint of metal in their hands as they steadily approached. His mind immediately went into action. He turned back to Hidan to tell him to get back inside, but Hidan wasn’t behind him anymore, instead beside him.</p><p>“Hell yeah, you wanna go doubles, babe?” Hidan yelled out to them, and took another drag of his cigarette.</p><p>“Fuck did you just say?” One of them sneered as they both continued stalking forward.</p><p>“Hidan.” Kakuzu growled as he dropped the bags to free his hands, trying to get his attention. Hidan didn’t listen.</p><p>“Oh, you heard me big boy, why don’t you come get a taste if you want some so bad!” He yelled back out.</p><p>“<em>Hidan</em>.” Kakuzu ordered through teeth. “Get the <em> fuck </em> inside.” He moved to grip the handle of the knife concealed at his waistline behind his back. Kakuzu felt dread as old muscle memory kicked in as both men approached, accepting that he might have to come out of retirement for this.</p><p>
  <em>'Here we go again.’ </em>
</p><p>“That’s right, sugar, come a little closer,” Hidan barked. “I’ll show you a fucking <em> faggot!</em>”</p><p>Before Kakuzu could move, Hidan had charged forward the final twenty feet into combat with armed men that both had at least a head on him. The first man raised his knife above his head, but Hidan was somehow so fast, he’d landed a right-hook square into his jaw, knocking him to his side instantly. The second man took a step back at this, but Hidan quickly grabbed his wrist and thrashed an elbow so deep in his nose, Kakuzu heard bones break from where he was standing.</p><p>He fell to his knees, both hands shielding his gushing face, and the knife clattered unceremoniously to the ground. Hidan laughed as he kicked him in his chest sending flying to the ground on his back. The first man had moved to his hands and knees, and Hidan delivered another, much harder kick to his abdomen, which caused him to choke out a rather sickening grunt.</p><p>Hidan stepped back and cackled, rolling his shoulders, and squared his fists back up. “What? That all you got for me? I’ll even let you pick your little knives back up for round two!”</p><p>The cigarette had never even left his mouth.</p><p>It was like it happened in slow motion, but in truth, it happened in an instant. Kakuzu was frozen there, hand on his knife in his waistband. He’d simply watched Hidan take action against armed criminals who likely intended to rob and possibly kill them. He couldn’t move from his spot as he gawked at Hidan standing in front of two suddenly incapacitated men. Kakuzu was still dumbfounded, and cursed himself again for drinking.</p><p>The men had taken to their feet, tails between their legs, as they both started stumbling back the way they came, too humiliated to say another word.</p><p>“That’s right, you’re gonna have to work a little harder if you want a taste of this ass! Come back with bigger knives <em> and </em>bigger dicks!” Hidan spat at the retreating men. He laughed at his own crude joke, and turned back to Kakuzu and flicked the cigarette from his mouth. What was, for a moment, awe, turned to rage that instant in Kakuzu.</p><p>
  <em> ‘Fucking idiot.’ </em>
</p><p>Hidan threw a thumb behind him toward the end of the alley they’d disappeared down, and smiled at Kakuzu. “You fuckin’ know those guys? Unbelievable.” He joked as he moved to the door.</p><p>“<em>Hidan.</em>” Kakuzu growled between teeth.</p><p>Hidan gasped as he looked to the ground. “<em>No! </em>You dropped the snacks! <em> Never</em> drop the snacks, man, what’re you <em> thinkin’ </em>!” Hidan leaned down to collect the bags.</p><p>The fist around the knife in his waist band had returned to his side, and he watched Hidan drunkenly giggle to himself about his little spectacle as he opened the door. Kakuzu’s knuckles were white and he was shaking, teeth clenched. Why did he have to be so fucking reckless, so goddamn brash and irresponsible? Why was he such a goddamn instigator? </p><p>
  <em> ‘Fucking brat.’ </em>
</p><p>“Hidan, fucking <em> listen </em> to me.” Kakuzu spoke low through teeth again, and followed behind him through the glass paneled door.</p><p>They’d entered the back room, which was still far down the hall from the others, still drunk and loud, playing music in the front lobby. It was dark, bathed only in the red neon light from the exit sign above the door, serving to only enrage Kakuzu’s drunken, adrenalized senses, like a bull.</p><p>Hidan unceremoniously set his bags down on the floor, contradicting his earlier statement, as he removed the coat Kakuzu had insisted he wear. “I don’t know what it is, but I just can’t keep the fellas off me! It’s hard being this fine, it really is.”</p><p>Hidan still openly ignored Kakuzu as he finished shifting his coat off and let it slide to the floor. Kakuzu snapped.</p><p>He pushed Hidan against the wall next to the door, a fist tight around the collar of his black t-shirt, slamming him so hard, he heard Hidan let out a small yelp. Kakuzu’s breath was ragged through his nostrils, his jaw flexed erratically, and he growled low through teeth he was too angry to unclench, as he decided he’d snatch up Hidan’s attention if he wouldn’t give it to him.</p><p>“<em>Hidan</em>, I almost <em> killed </em> those men.”</p><p>“<em>I know </em>.”</p><p>Hidan said it quickly, almost startling Kakuzu. He spoke in a different tone now, low and sultry, a gravely whisper, as if the cheerful, clueless, drunk Hidan was gone. His features were glowing in red light from above, and his eyes seemed to tunnel deeper, more than Kakuzu ever remembered seeing them. They were challenging him, daring him. Hidan’s chin stayed tilted down, so just those eyes were staring up at him. His lips were parted and he breathed hot and deep, Kakuzu could feel it on his own neck and chin.</p><p>The most devious smirk that Kakuzu had ever seen pulled just barely at the corners of Hidan's  gaping lips. Just twenty-four hours ago, he could have mistaken this for the face of an angel, glowing in white light and snow. How could this same face now look to be that of a demon?</p><p>“I <em> know </em>you could have killed those men.” Hidan’s voice was spoken with heat and intoxicated honesty. “I know you <em> wanted </em> to.” Kakuzu’s hand moved from gripping his shirt, to wrap his hand around where Hidan’s neck and chest met out of some unclarified instinct. Not quite choking him, but he held him absolutely firm in place – Hidan let him. They were mere inches apart, but Kakuzu’s hand against his collar bones were their only point of contact.</p><p>Kakuzu still breathed deep through his nose, staring down in Hidan’s eyes that gave a slow blink that never left the taller man’s predatory stare. They heard the distant laughter and noise of their group far away, up the hall, but all they heard was each other’s breathing.</p><p>“I know you’ve done it before too,” Hidan continued quietly, eyes now wandering over Kakuzu’s face, watching for his reactions. He kept his arms at his sides as he examined him quietly.</p><p>Kakuzu swallowed and let his breath come out slow between his teeth. He said nothing.</p><p>“I know that’s what you did time for, right?” Hidan stated more than asked, in that breathy wild voice. He pressed on as Kakuzu still said nothing. He could smell the alcohol on Hidan’s breath and it was making his head spin. He could almost taste it. He felt lost suddenly, stuck to whatever this was.</p><p>“So how many was it?” Hidan settled back on Kakuzu's eyes firmly. “Was it just one?” Kakuzu remained silent, and blinked as he couldn’t take his eyes from Hidan’s.</p><p>“More than that? Was it five?”</p><p>Kakuzu said nothing.</p><p>“<em>Ten?</em>”</p><p>Silence.</p><p>Hidan let a deep breath of surprise out as he glanced down slightly to linger his gaze a little more than he should have at Kakuzu’s lips. He was absolutely hypnotized by the lock Kakuzu had on him, pressed against the wall, as he unlocked the answers in Kakuzu’s purposeful silence. And Kakuzu let him, as he was just as captivated by whatever this was, fighting hard to keep still.</p><p>Hidan changed his question. “I know you hurt somebody when you were locked up.”</p><p>Kakuzu made the mistake of looking down to Hidan’s mouth and watched him quickly lick his bottom lip and bite it softly. Kakuzu’s lips parted without him realizing, and he had no idea why. A breath escaped his lips, and Hidan couldn’t help but tilt his chin up to get closer.</p><p>“How’d you hurt ‘em? Why’d you do it?” Hidan’s voice was full of something that Kakuzu could only define as desire. The look in Hidan’s eyes changed from daring him, to begging him. Kakuzu swallowed to close his lips and fidgeted his grip on Hidan’s neck. He was toeing the line between control and…something else. He felt like he was going to snap.</p><p>“Did you kill them?” Hidan asked, throaty as he got his lips as close to Kakuzu’s as he could, his hands still pressed against the wall behind him, continuing to allow Kakuzu the physical control he had over him. Kakuzu found it hard to look Hidan in the eyes now, and focused on the lips he was transfixed by form more dangerous, forbidden questions.</p><p>“<em>How’d </em> you do it?” Hidan almost whined. This suddenly appealed to something raw in Kakuzu that he didn’t even know was there. He almost felt his vision go blurry at Hidan’s tone, hearing his desperation increase. Something in him cracked, and the old parts of him flooded into the new feelings of heat before him.</p><p>Hidan was startled by a noise at his right hip. He blinked his gaze down, and took a slow but sharp breath in as he saw the metal blade of a switchblade in Kakuzu’s grip. The knife looked red hot in the neon light, and Hidan watched with bated breath as he moved the dull edge to press gently to the skin of his hip bone, right between his shirt and pants.</p><p>Hidan’s eyes fluttered shut and held his breath in his throat. He felt his heart banging in his ribcage, and he took another sharp breath in as Kakuzu moved his fingers up just so slightly to readjust on his tattooed neck.</p><p>Kakuzu leaned forward to Hidan’s right ear, lips and breath so close to him that he thought for a second it was real static electricity he felt between them. Kakuzu breathed a warm breath where the column of Hidan’s neck met his ear, and it made Hidan’s jaw drop in a dead silent moan. He finally spoke, just a whisper.</p><p>“<em>I stabbed him to death.” </em></p><p> He barely breathed it against Hidan’s ear. If it weren’t for Kakuzu’s one strong hand pressing him firmly to the wall, he thought his knees would give out. Kakuzu so slowly inched the dull side of the blade up to Hidan’s stomach, and Hidan’s breath caught in his throat again.</p><p>“He thought he could jump me in my cell - test me - and that was a <em> bad </em> choice.” Kakuzu explained himself with a sultry whisper. His hand slipped further up Hidan’s quivering throat, and he could feel his tendons flexing. Hidan’s eyes were closed as he let out another helpless breath between parted lips. His own fingers trembling against the wall behind him.</p><p>“I got him against the wall,” Kakuzu let the knife slip over toward Hidan’s navel, shirt lifting to expose his lower stomach. “<em>Just like this.</em>”</p><p>Hidan gasped at the cold metal against his stomach as Kakuzu’s voice and breath absolutely devastated his senses. He did his best to keep his weakening composure as he continued to listen expectantly.</p><p>“He got a knife to stomach,” Kakuzu tilted his grip as he whispered to Hidan’s jaw, and the sharp knife tip barely grazed his stomach. Hidan swallowed. “<em>About 12 times </em>.”</p><p>Hidan bit his lip again, and panted through his nose, and felt Kakuzu’s fingers move up under his jaw slowly. His knife turned back to the dull side and he trailed up further to his chest, just under his left nipple.</p><p>“And he got it between these two ribs, <em> right here </em> - coroner said 8 times.” Kakuzu whispered again. He slowly rubbed the knife’s dull edge sideways, back and forth, indicating the space between the ribs where his heart would be that he could locate without looking. Hidan’s eyes rolled back behind closed lids, his body and mind held hostage by this psychological assault.</p><p>Kakuzu removed the blade and let Hidan’s shirt fall back, and Hidan’s desperate brows framed his slowly opening eyes, and panting pouty lips. Kakuzu’s strong hand was now holding just Hidan’s jaw.</p><p>“He was a goner by then,” Kakuzu confirmed to Hidan as he moved back. He spoke just to the corner of Hidan’s trembling mouth now, and he brought the cold knife up to Hidan’s neck, pressing that dull side to his carotid artery, which made him gasp audibly against Kakuzu’s cheek.</p><p>“But I slit his neck open, <em> right here</em>,” He breathed. “Just to watch him <em> choke</em>. With a knife <em> just like this.</em>” He ran the blade down what he thought was the type of throat that was made to have a hand around it. He was drunk off of the power he had over Hidan in this moment. Infatuated with the reactions and responses he’d get from showing him the worst parts of himself. It made him sick, but it was a hot, burning fever that he couldn’t get enough of.</p><p>Hidan’s mouth gaped, silent, with little trembling gasps as his eyes were half lidded, barely able to stay open as Kakuzu’s lips just barely grazed his cheek.</p><p>He suddenly took the knife from Hidan’s neck, and flicked in back shut, replacing it in the waistband of the back of his pants. Hidan didn’t move, anticipation still eating away at his nerves. Kakuzu still didn’t let go of Hidan’s jaw.</p><p>Kakuzu pulled back to examine Hidan’s features, to observe what he’d done to him. The sly, coy demon who squared off with him, who pushed him, who <em> dared </em> him was now a panting mess, begging, trembling before him. He was enamored, enraptured by Kakuzu’s repressed nature of violence and horror, and being left vulnerable to the devices of such a monster.</p><p>Kakuzu tilted Hidan’s jaw to the other side, and leaned back to the ear he hadn’t yet defiled.</p><p>“<em>That’s how I killed the first one </em>.”</p><p>Kakuzu’s whisper snaked up Hidan’s neck and back. The sensation was driving him to madness, desperation, his own breaking point. He let out a quiet moan, just audible between the two of them.</p><p>“<em>Please,</em>” Hidan whispered between parted lips, eyes shut, brows knitted up, begging, pleading with him. “<em>Please…</em>”</p><p>Kakuzu didn’t know what he was begging for, but some raw, carnal part of him wanted more of it. He said nothing and breathed in, taking in the scent of smoke, alcohol and cinnamon from Hidan. He was still.</p><p>“<em>Kakuzu, please…</em>” Hidan whimpered. Kakuzu didn’t move, but hearing his own name said with such desire, such wanton lust made him growl out something like a moan under his breath. Kakuzu’s hand moved slowly back down his jaw, over his neck, back down to his chest, feeling the warmth, feeling the pulse beneath his hands, before removing it completely from Hidan. Kakuzu didn’t know how to break away from this, struggling to keep his own control.</p><p>Hidan couldn’t take it anymore when he felt the friction of Kakuzu’s hand leaving his heaving chest. His arms shot out and grabbed Kakuzu’s hips and pressed their bodies together with a throaty moan, thighs, hips, stomachs and chests flush together. He lifted his head up as far as he could to whisper to Kakuzu’s jaw.</p><p>“<em>Please </em> , I want you - I want you <em> so bad </em> ,” Hidan shamelessly begged with quiet, out of breath moans, eyes slammed shut, lips moving to speak against Kakuzu’s neck. “I want you <em> so </em> fucking <em> bad</em>, I <em> know </em> you want this too, <em> please.</em>”</p><p>Kakuzu felt a bolt of white hot lighting crack through his body as he heard Hidan beg for him, crave him, need him, as the angelic body was pressed against his larger figure, submitting himself to him. His hands moved up Kakuzu’s sides and up to his chest, gripping and tensing over muscle he’d been desperately fantasizing over. Kakuzu stayed still, breathing hard, eyes closed as he tried to control his reactions to such an honest, lusty display of need.</p><p>‘Kakuzu, <em> please</em>, I know you want to put me in my place…” Hidan was insatiable now. “I know you want to teach me my fucking lesson. Fucking, <em> please</em>...” He started to kiss hungrily along Kakuzu’s neck as his needful hands continued to grope at him. Kakuzu’s own breathing picked up, and he couldn’t take much more, as he remained still.</p><p>“C’mon, I know you want to take it out on me, I <em> need </em> you to…” Hidan pushed his hips together once toward Kakuzu’s and they both gasped out at the friction that neither expected to push such searing heat between them.</p><p>It was enough for Kakuzu to get just a hand on to reality and he pushed Hidan off him, and back against the wall, his strong hand holding him steady as they both panted. Hidan wrapped a hand gently around Kakuzu’s wrist that had a hand pressed into his chest.</p><p>All that could be heard was voices and laughter from the lobby, and their hot heavy breathing. Hidan stared deep into Kakuzu’s face, while Kakuzu chose to look toward the floor. Even though Hidan wasn’t looking at him, Kakuzu could tell that evil smirk had returned to his face.</p><p>What the fuck had just happened? What was that insane feeling? Why did he tell Hidan that shit? Why did he like it? Why the fuck did Kakuzu like it? All questions and no answers as Kakuzu dropped his hand. He shook his head and regained his mental footing. <em> ‘Should have never fucking drank.’ </em></p><p>He looked up to Hidan, and simply shook his head. This was a bad idea. It was bad enough that it happened, and it would be even worse if he stuck around. He looked up to the panting Hidan who licked his grinning lips, looking more like the demon Kakuzu had been before, burning up in the hot red light.</p><p>Kakuzu swiftly managed to break eyes with him before Hidan could say anything, and he quickly pushed himself out the door into what felt like absolutely frigid cold compared to the deep consuming heat he was just in.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The Wall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>....i'm not even gunna say nothin lol</p><p>Stay tuned for chapt 8 babe ;)</p><p>HEY just reminding you to come hang out at the 18+ KakuHida discord, its super fun and chill and we talk about everything kakuhida and naruto adjacent as well as many other cute fun things, its a whole bunch of creative people and popular artists and authors in the pairing fandom, just come on down and tell them sweetz sent u (u will not receive a prize but i might hit on you)</p><p>https://discord.gg/SGJPxjaD</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kakuzu hardly remembered his adrenaline-manic, drunk, and flustered walk home in the dark. He couldn’t feel his hands and face, but it wasn’t from the cold. He thought if he walked fast and purposefully enough, that maybe it would reverse what ever in the fuck had just happened back at the shop. As he made his way back through the familiar hotel corridors, he felt dread and confusion about his own actions. He wondered if he should just drive home now and leave with an unfinished tattoo on his back. He considered the fact that he was still under the influence and operating a motor vehicle was not a responsible choice. Then again, none of the choices he made tonight were responsible in the least, or even logical.</p><p>He now paced the floor of his hotel, with the curtain drawn, and the TV off. As soon as he’d gotten back, he’d taken down his hair, and had a cigarette on the balcony, with shaking fingers. He’d only finished half of it, and his anxiety kept him moving. He’d taken off his shirt, and splashed cold water on his face. He didn’t know how long he’d been walking his own room, like an animal in a cage, but it reminded him of time spent in his cell. He didn’t like that.</p><p>He chose to move to sit on the edge of his bed. He looked over at his phone, wallet, and loose eighty dollars on the side table. Next to them, the knife he’d just used for something he’d considered to be somehow even more despicable than stabbing people. He didn’t even want to look at it.</p><p>Loud knocks at the door sent panic through him, and he shot up off of the bed.</p><p>“<em>HEY!</em>” It was Hidan. “Let me in, asshole!”</p><p>He had followed him to his hotel. Kakuzu cursed at himself for telling him where he was staying last night. He continued to bang loudly on the door, and checked the locked handle repeatedly.</p><p>“Open the fuckin’ door, I’ll keep yelling until you do!” Hidan threatened. Kakuzu knew he was serious, but was somewhat petrified.</p><p>“Fuck off, Hidan.” He said loud enough for him to hear. He cringed at how shaky his own voice was.</p><p>“No!” He said indignantly, and resumed his banging. “I know you don’t want cops up here, let me the fuck in!”</p><p>
  <em> ‘Goddamnit.’ </em>
</p><p>Kakuzu absolutely did not want cops around, and he made his way to the door. This was another huge mistake, but Hidan didn’t leave him any choice in extorting him.</p><p>Kakuzu threw the door open, and Hidan forced his way in. Kakuzu noticed he wasn’t wearing his coat, which pissed him off for some reason.</p><p>He slammed his door, and as he turned to berate him, Hidan pushed Kakuzu hard on his chest which slammed him back against the door.</p><p>“What the <em> fuck </em>is your problem?” Hidan growled at him.</p><p>“Don’t fucking push me.” Kakuzu warned him.</p><p>Hidan pushed him again. “Fuck you, you don’t get to just-just <em> do </em>that, and bounce, ok?”</p><p>Kakuzu shut his eyes with a scowl. “God, stop <em>fucking</em> yelling.” It was Hidan’s fault for edging him on like that.</p><p>“I’ll fuckin’ yell if I want!” Hidan pushed his arm. “What’s your fuckin’ problem?” He demanded once more.</p><p>“Be fucking<em> quiet</em>,” Kakuzu grabbed his wrist to stop Hidan’s petty assault, and growled through his teeth. “What is <em> wrong </em> with you? I can’t fucking <em> stand </em> you.”</p><p>“I <em> know </em> you can’t stand me!” Hidan yelled as he used his other hand to push at the larger man again. “Why don’t you fucking prove it, <em> pussy </em>!”</p><p>“Shut the <em> fuck </em>up.” Kakuzu met eyes with him.</p><p>“<em>Make </em> me!”</p><p>Kakuzu whipped Hidan’s wrist away, and in an instant, his right hand was at Hidan’s throat as the left fisted tight at the back of his hair. His mouth crashed over Hidan’s. He had no idea what possessed him to do that, but he kissed him hard, with teeth, angry and resentful.</p><p>Hidan stumbled and moved to grab hold of either side of Kakuzu’s large biceps for support, fingers digging in deep in shock. He moaned into Kakuzu’s lips, and his eyes fluttered shut as he let himself give in to the aggression. Kakuzu only gave him the satisfaction for a few seconds. He pulled away abruptly, keeping their foreheads touching, leaving Hidan out of breath.</p><p>Kakuzu spoke through his teeth again.</p><p>“Is this what you want?” He gripped Hidan’s hair and neck tighter. “You want to see me lose it? You want me to fucking hurt you?” Kakuzu demanded. He stared down at Hidan’s wet lips, feeling himself come unraveled further and further with the sight.</p><p>Hidan’s glassy magenta eyes looked up to Kakuzu, and breathed out an intentionally lusty breath to warm his lips, to entice him to carry out his threats. There was that little smirk again, on that bratty little mouth, and he nodded quickly. Kakuzu’s hand and fist tightened their grip. Something was building in him, this anger, this hunger that he couldn’t control.</p><p>“<em>I will wipe that fucking smirk right off your face. </em>” He changed his growl to a deadly whisper as he bared his teeth to Hidan, a final warning. A misstep on Kakuzu’s part, maybe an intentional one, as that was exactly what Hidan wanted to hear.</p><p>“<em>Please…</em>” that needy voice came back just one more time, Hidan switching back and forth from antagonizing to desperate was leaving Kakuzu’s head spinning. This time, however, it was this divisive action that ignited what was building in Kakuzu, and what cracked in him finally shattered.</p><p>Kakuzu’s hand tightened in Hidan’s hair at the base of his skull, and yanked his head back, exposing the painted flesh of his pale, quivering neck to him. His other hand moved from Hidan’s throat to his lower back, and in one move, crashed their bodies together and sank his teeth and tongue into Hidan’s neck. Hidan’s trembling fingers moved to grip Kakuzu’s chest and shoulders as he let the man ravage him from ear to collarbone, eyes rolling back to submit to what he’d been begging for. He let out a moan that was half a gasp.</p><p>“<em>Yes…please</em>,” Hidan whispered again, as he asked for more.</p><p>Kakuzu savagely marked up the skin that he’d held himself back from attacking until now. Something primal, and mean took over him. He had given in to the tension, the pressure he’d felt in his chest and stomach. He’d finally given in to Hidan’s intentional aggravation. He let go of something else that he’d been holding in him for years – maybe forever. He panted through his nose and made his way back to Hidan’s ear.</p><p>“You want me to put you in your place?” Kakuzu asked him, growling.</p><p>Hidan nodded again, and licked his lips.</p><p>“You want me to teach you your lesson?” He reiterated, his fingers digging into Hidan’s lower back, head locked tight in place with the fist in his hair – a grip he couldn’t get out of even if he wanted to.</p><p>“<em>Yes…</em>” Hidan breathed out, eyes still closed in fulfillment.</p><p>“<em>Say </em> it.” Kakuzu moved his lips to Hidan’s jaw, uncontrolled open-mouth kisses breathing hot against his cheek, causing Hidan to trip over his words.</p><p>“<em>Please </em> , I-I <em> need </em> you to...I need you to put me in my place…” Hidan gasped out. “I need you to teach me my lesson…” He couldn’t help his hands trailing nails, trembling down Kakuzu’s tightened forearms.</p><p>Hidan’s eyes shot open, torn from his trance, hearing a sharp tear and looked down to see that Kakuzu had ripped his shirt off of him, straight down the middle. The gasp he let out was immediately followed by an open mouth grin as experienced Kakuzu’s act of aggression toward him.</p><p>Hidan knew his smile would only serve to push Kakuzu further, hoping that he’d follow through on his promise to wipe the smirk off his face. He did, as he kissed Hidan deeply, pushing their bodies together, drawing moans from the two of them at the new sensation. Hidan only fought Kakuzu with his tongue to make him kiss him harder, as the tatters of his shirt were pulled from his back by strong fingers. Their hips locked together, feeling each other’s growing erections.</p><p>Kakuzu broke his mouth from Hidan’s, and his hand moved up and gripped Hidan’s jaw tight, thumb pressing at the corner of his lips, wanting to see his face. His eyes fluttered open and Kakuzu thought his freshly assaulted mouth was almost the same bright color as his eyes. Hidan’s cheeks were flushed, and both of his tattooed hands reached up to grip Kakuzu’s firm wrist. He panted up at him, and that smirk came back, hoping it would serve to ignite Kakuzu once more. Hidan couldn’t help but to push him again.</p><p>“C’mon, give me what I deserve,” Hidan smiled up, his eyes on fire. “Please, I know you want to...”</p><p>Kakuzu panted as he moved his thumb over Hidan’s wet bottom lip again, remembering doing so just the night before. The movement was the same, over the same soft lips, but this wasn’t an angel anymore - this was a demon. An evil creature who craved punishment. From that soft mouth, an even softer, wetter pink tongue emerged and licked the pad of his thumb, and he couldn’t help but push his finger in further.</p><p>Hidan’s eyes locked to Kakuzu’s, and he tilted his smiling mouth toward Kakuzu’s thumb, and took it in his mouth, sucking sweetly, and opening his lips back up to lick it again. He blinked sweet and slow, trying to torment him, tease him with his mouth, and he gave another wicked grin as he let his teeth graze against his finger.</p><p>“I know you <em> need </em> to…” Hidan chanted with a whisper again, hot breath against Kakuzu’s thumb. One of Hidan’s hands moved up Kakuzu’s wrist and caressed his large hand against his own cheek. This was a fake semblance of gentleness, of tenderness. It was a display of pretend innocence and vulnerability, with the hope that Kakuzu would take the bait and give him the discipline he craved.</p><p>“<em>Please</em>,” Hidan whispered once more, sucking against his finger, twirling his tongue. He closed his eyes, and kissed the tip of his thumb once more, sweetly, and that demon grin returned. “<em>…shut me up</em>.”</p><p>Kakuzu knew what this mouth was suggesting to him. There was also no denying that at this point, he both wanted, and needed it. He’d give Hidan what he was asking for. Kakuzu growled in his throat.</p><p>“On your knees.” He ordered.</p><p>Hidan immediately obliged, and dropped down to the floor quickly, a toothy grin on his face as he didn’t look away from Kakuzu, unable to contain his excitement. His eyes darted down for a moment and then back up with more greed in his smile from seeing Kakuzu’s bulging erection in his pants. His nimble fingers slid around the waistband, and he bit his lip as looked back up at Kakuzu, who drew his hand into the crown of Hidan’s already ruffled hair.</p><p>Hidan pulled down Kakuzu’s pants in one swift motion and he stepped out of them on the floor. His eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped, and he couldn’t help the amazed laugh that escaped his throat. Kakuzu was naked before him, and he gawked in wonder at what was easily the biggest dick he’d ever seen in his twenty-two years.</p><p>“Holy<em> fuck </em>…” Hidan’s hand moved to grip the base of it, eyes moving back to Kakuzu’s above him. He was actually speechless as he stared in what absolute elation at the man presented before him. He knew the fist in his hair wasn’t going to let him move, and he knew what was in store for him.</p><p>Hidan bit his lip and moved his other hand to join it around Kakuzu’s girth, and realized that both of his hands couldn’t cover the length before him. He felt his own rock hard erection flex in his pants as he made this realization, and the eyes he gave to Kakuzu’s had another twinge of delighted surprise.</p><p>“<em>Please</em>,” He opened his mouth and let hot breath tease the head of Kakuzu’s already dripping cock that was just out of reach. He started moving both of his hands up and down his shaft slowly. “<em>Please let me </em>…”</p><p>“<em>Beg.</em>”</p><p>Kakuzu commanded him instinctually. His skin was on fire as he looked down at Hidan. His purple eyes were deep with need as they pleaded up to him, and his tattooed fingers worked diligently, purposely, expertly as always. Hidan gasped out a moan, and did as was asked of him.</p><p>“<em>Please</em>, let me suck it, I want to suck your cock <em> so bad</em>…” Hidan’s voice was punctuated by pants that he intended Kakuzu to feel. “I need it in my throat, <em> please</em>…”</p><p>Kakuzu’s lips parted, breath quickening at the obscene sight and sounds below him. He could look over Hidan’s lean tattooed torso now, just as covered, and colorful as he thought he’d be beneath his shirt. He watched his chest rise and fall in need below him. Kakuzu felt his knees weaken just a bit as he watched this needful man below him whine shamelessly for a taste of his dick.</p><p>“I <em> need </em> it, Kakuzu, I need you, I fucking <em> need </em> you.” Hidan begged again. He removed the hand closest to the tip of Kakuzu’s dick, and wantonly licked from his palm to fingertips. He coated his hand in his own saliva, and replaced it over the head of Kakuzu’s dick, and continued working it, hoping this would give Kakuzu a taste of what he could give him. “<em>Please </em> , I’ll make you feel <em> so good </em> , fucking <em> please</em>…”</p><p>Kakuzu moaned breathily at the sensation, and his eyes closed as he felt this new heightened pleasure warm him even more. His hips moved in toward Hidan’s hands, the feeling inexplicably erotic and new. He opened his eyes and looked to Hidan, deciding that he’d proven his desires well enough.</p><p>Kakuzu pushed Hidan’s head forward, and Hidan graciously accepted the head of Kakuzu’s dick on his bottom lip, and let his tongue lick upward and against the underside, eyes never leaving Kakuzu’s. He only gave him another inch, back and forth, and he felt Hidan strain against the grip he had on his hair. Hidan only moaned in desperation, and his hands continued working the shaft before him.</p><p>There was only a moment of hesitation before Kakuzu decided he couldn’t take the pure eroticism of the spectacle before him, and he pressed his dick steadily in to Hidan’s gaping lips, the head touching the back of his throat before he was even fully sheathed in to pink mouth below him. Hidan moaned gratefully and it sent shivers up Kakuzu’s spine, making him thrust out and in again.</p><p>Hidan’s eyes fluttered shut, as his yearning fingers made their way to Kakuzu’s body, and he dragged his fingertips and nails down the front of Kakuzu’s strong thighs. He whimpered when Kakuzu pushed deeper, and his eyes rolled back, in ecstasy at the feeling of being used for the bigger man’s pleasure.</p><p>Kakuzu growled as he moved his other hand to the back of Hidan’s head and gripped his hair in both hands now, holding Hidan still as he pushed his dick down his throat. Hidan’s eyes squinted shut as his forehead almost touched Kakuzu’s firm abs, throat fully defiled, at each thrust of Kakuzu’s hips.</p><p>Kakuzu lifted Hidan’s head back, and saw tears running down Hidan’s face as he caught his breath, a trail of saliva from Kakuzu’s dick back to Hidan’s pink tongue. His cheeks beat red, and another whine came from his throat. Hidan’s hands had moved to the back of Kakuzu’s legs, trying to bring his hips forward for more. Kakuzu had only stopped to get the answer to a question from Hidan.</p><p>“<em>You like this dick? </em>” He demanded an answer coldly from Hidan, who again, scrambled against the brutal grip on his hair. like a leash holding him back, as his hands went back to Kakuzu’s throbbing hard cock.</p><p>“Yes, <em> fuck </em> yes, I <em> love </em> it, I want more, p-<em>please </em>give me more...” Hidan begged again, absolutely shamelessly craving to taste the man again. He looked back up to Kakuzu, but that fucking smirk was back on his face.</p><p>Kakuzu needed no further elaboration as he plunged back in Hidan’s mouth with more force than before, groaning at the returning sensation. He continued.</p><p>“<em>You like it when I fuck your throat? </em>” He demanded an answer yet again, and Hidan nodded with Kakuzu’s dick still assaulting his mouth, moaning in confirmation around him. Hidan’s eyes rolled back, and tears were still forming down his cheeks over the fading purple marks that Kakuzu had put there. He noted some red and purple bruises on his neck forming, barely visible over his bright tattoos. He could see Hidan gasping for breaths he could barely take, gagging, and he worried for a moment in his fog of animalistic urge that he was pushing Hidan too far. But he felt Hidan’s clutch on his hips weren’t pushing him away – they were pulling him in for more.</p><p>Kakuzu moaned at the realization, and decided to let go of Hidan’s hair.</p><p>“<em>Then show me</em>.”</p><p>Hidan quickly and graciously took up bobbing his head up and down Kakuzu’s length, his eyes closed in focus on pleasing the taller man before him who’d just cut him loose to work his dick. Hidan quickened his pace in an attempt to make Kakuzu moan for him, which he did.</p><p>“<em>Fuck</em>…Hidan…” He hissed out, his head tilted back and his eyes shut, absolutely lost in pleasure he didn’t know he could experience. Hidan greedily continued at the sound of his own name, knowing that he controlled Kakuzu now, just for a moment. Kakuzu reopened his eyes and moved his hand back to Hidan’s head so he could make sure that the man enthusiastically throating his cock was real.</p><p>He blinked a few times, and as his eyes relocked with Hidan’s, he could see that even with his mouth full of his dick, that evil little grin had returned to his face, his eyes gleaming with deviousness. Hidan slowed, closed his eyes, and pushed Kakuzu’s dick as deep as it would go in his throat one last time.</p><p>He opened his eyes, and looked back up to Kakuzu’s face, and swallowed on the head of his cock. This pulled a noise from Kakuzu that he’d never made before, and Hidan did it again, wanting to make Kakuzu lose his mind from the pleasure he was giving him. Kakuzu’s hand gripped tight in his hair again, fingers trembling, and Hidan swallowed again, hard on Kakuzu’s dick. Saliva dripped down his chin and neck and chest, and Kakuzu’s vision went blurry as he had to put out an arm to the wall next to his head to stabilize himself.</p><p>Kakuzu felt that angry heat in him again, and he yanked the demon off his cock by his hair, regaining control from him. His dick bobbed from Hidan’s mouth, and he gasped for breath, panting, face red, eyes still tilted up to him – smiling, challenging him again. Daring him again. Hidan spoke up once more.</p><p>“That’s all you got for me?” He licked his already wet lips, and resumed his open mouth, out of breath smile at Kakuzu who still had a grip on his hair.</p><p>Kakuzu tried to hide the surprise in his eyes. He couldn’t believe it. This kid was fucking <em> insatiable</em>. Had his skull-fucking not been enough of a lesson? Not enough of a warning? Kakuzu turned from shock, to anger again, and he grunted as he ripped Hidan up from the floor by his hair, another hand around his arm.</p><p>“Little <em> brat</em>,” he spat as he got him standing, but he’d spun Hidan around so his back was to him now, and he heard him let out a yelp in shock. Kakuzu’s grip on his bicep was bruising, and the hand in his hair stayed firm as it wrenched Hidan’s head back to lay on his shoulder. Hidan could feel Kakuzu’s still-hard cock, wet from his own mouth, press against his lower back, and he bit his lip as Kakuzu spoke into his ear.</p><p>“You don’t want to act right?” Kakuzu asked him a redundant question. “Then I’ll fucking <em> make </em> you act right.”</p><p>Hidan’s eyes rolled back, and let out a throaty moan. “Yeah?” He couldn’t help the giddy smile that reappeared at the fierce threat. “I fucking <em> dare you </em>.”</p><p>He could tell this infuriated Kakuzu, and he was thrilled at the effect it had. He was surprised, however, when Kakuzu walked him forward and pushed him against the desk instead of the bed.</p><p>He glanced up, and saw himself in the mirror, Kakuzu standing behind him, that same carnal look of punishment on his face. He shuddered at the view Kakuzu gave him. Hidan felt his pants get yanked down, and Kakuzu’s fist in his hair pushed his head back to rest on Kakuzu’s shoulder once more.</p><p>Before Hidan could get smart with him again, Kakuzu shoved two long fingers into Hidan’s mouth, almost gagging him down his throat at the sudden sensation. Instead, his eyes lidded half way and he watched his own lips wrap around them in the mirror, fondling them with his tongue. He was ready to beg Kakuzu to use them the way he hoped he would. Kakuzu continued to thrust his fingers in and out of Hidan’s mouth, but he leaned in so that he was breathing just a whisper against Hidan again.</p><p>“<em>You suck cock so well</em>,” Kakuzu just barely kissed below his ear, stunning Hidan for a moment. “<em>Let’s see how good you take it in your ass</em>.”</p><p>Hidan’s eyes stayed locked on Kakuzu’s in the mirror, now wide as he was suddenly jerked forward by his hair, and bent over the desk, just enough to get his ass where Kakuzu wanted it. He panted in anticipation as he stared at Kakuzu in shock at the boldness he was displaying.</p><p>Kakuzu pushed a wet finger into Hidan, who shut his eyes and moaned in pleasure and anticipation. He felt Kakuzu push in deeper, who then jerked quickly at his hair to startle him.</p><p>“<em>Look</em>.” He demanded.</p><p>Hidan looked back to the mirror, breathlessly, and he felt a second finger already pressing in to him, making a loud moan crack out of his chest, already feeling himself stretched tight from Kakuzu’s large fingers. The erotic demand sent a wave of heat through him, coiling in his stomach. His moan turned to a whimper as Kakuzu continued to work him from behind.</p><p>Kakuzu’s eyes shut as he had the overwhelming urge to suck on Hidan’s neck again, remembering the skin to be so soft and supple under his lips. He was hungry for it. Starving for it. The heat from Hidan was no less than intoxicating, as he moved his fingers in and out, feeling him from the inside. His breath spilled out against Hidan’s neck and back while his hips writhed on to his fingers.</p><p>“F-<em>fuck</em>…” Hidan moaned out uncontrollably, barely able to keep his eyes open in the mirror. “Please, p-<em>please </em> more…”</p><p>Kakuzu groaned as his cock twitched at Hidan’s lower back. He wanted to see how desperate Hidan was for him to dominate his body like this. Kakuzu was finally piecing together Hidan’s need for submission. He needed to be checked, he was asking for it, begging for it all the time. Pushing and daring and threatening. Toeing lines, breaching boundaries with Kakuzu at every chance, for this reason.</p><p>He knew Hidan was an antagonist by nature, but now he saw why in this moment. Hidan was unbridled, chaotic, and violent. He was strong too, having just seen him brutalize two men for fun. He yearned for someone to be strong enough to control him. Hidan challenged him for the lesson he needed to be taught because no one else could handle him the way he knew Kakuzu would.</p><p>“Kakuzu, <em> please</em>…” Hidan was honestly pleading with him in the mirror now. “I <em>need </em> you, I need you <em> so bad</em>.”</p><p>Kakuzu looked down and saw Hidan’s leaking cock, hard and pink in the mirror below him. He wanted to hear more of those mind numbing moans, begging, calling out to him. He released his grip on Hidan’s hair and wrapped his hand around his cock, stroking it as he continued slaughtering Hidan’s neck with kisses.</p><p>Hidan cried out and almost fell forward, his hands barely propping him up on the desk, arms shaking. He didn’t expect Kakuzu to touch him like this, and the feeling of being penetrated and stroked by Kakuzu’s strong, capable hands was unfathomable. These hands that he knew plunged knives in and pulled triggers on many men were now pleasuring him in unspeakable ways. The thought made him moan out again for him.</p><p>“<em>Beg</em>.” Kakuzu ordered yet again in Hidan’s ear. “Look at me and <em>beg </em>.”</p><p>Hidan’s eyes met Kakuzu’s once more, and he felt Kakuzu push his fingers in harder, stroking him faster. He was barely able to make out words around the moans Kakuzu’s demanding touches forced out of him.</p><p>“God, fuck...p-<em>please</em>, fuck me, I-I <em> need </em> it…” Hidan craned his neck so Kakuzu had more to assault with tongue and teeth, and he held on to the wrist of the hand Kakuzu refused to stop stroking his cock with. “I <em> need </em> your dick, Kakuzu, <em>please</em>…”</p><p>Kakuzu half moaned, half snarled as he removed his fingers, and moved to hold his dick at Hidan’s ass, still wet from his saliva. Hidan panted in excitement as he met eyes with Kakuzu who pushed the head of his dick in him unexpectedly. Hidan cried out at how much larger it was than just Kakuzu’s two fingers.</p><p>“<em>Beg. </em>He demanded again, throaty and gravelly as he went still. He watched Hidan’s lips quiver, and his body shook, back arching for him, both of his strong hands moving to Hidan’s hips.</p><p>Hidan tripped on his words again, but he cried out another plea, this time louder for Kakuzu. “<em>Please!</em> Fuck…Kakuzu, I need your dick, I <em> need </em> you to fuck me, I can’t take it, I need it <em> so bad</em>…”</p><p>“<em>That </em>bad, huh?” Kakuzu looked at him in the mirror as laced his fingers back through Hidan’s hair slowly and gently so he knew it’d be yanked on soon. Hidan closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, he returned with that smile that Kakuzu thought he’d gotten rid of.</p><p>“<em>Such a fuckin’ tease</em>,” Hidan giggled. “<em>Fuck me</em>, Kakuzu, I know <em> you </em> need it…”</p><p>Kakuzu did need it. And at this point, he wasn’t that interested in pretending he didn’t anymore.</p><p>Kakuzu buried himself in Hidan’s ass, and the smaller man cried out in agony and ecstasy as he was suddenly stretched and filled violently, that spot in his body immediately assaulted by Kakuzu’s unbelievable length. His eyes went into the back of his head, and his trembling arms struggled to keep him held up as Kakuzu returned a hand to Hidan’s neck.</p><p>Hidan was a blubbering incoherent mess of moans and gasps as Kakuzu bent him over just a bit further, and railed him against the desk, choking him from behind with a grip tight at the back of his hair. He leaned forward and spoke into Hidan’s ear again.</p><p>“<em>Watch.</em>” Another one of those demands from Kakuzu that Hidan loved. “<em>Watch yourself take this dick</em>.”</p><p>Hidan’s eyes fluttered open as he bit his lip and looked at his own depraved, flustered face. He looked at Kakuzu’s strong grip around his neck, and the fist in his hair, and his own nails raked into the desk for support. He looked just behind him in the reflection to see Kakuzu’s absolutely feral expression staring back at him, the sight almost making him cum on the spot. His face was close enough to the mirror that his heavy breaths and pants started to fog up the glass.</p><p>Kakuzu looked down to watch his cock plunge into the most perfect ass he could have ever imagined. He was finally able to glance over Hidan’s tattooed back and shoulders, and to his surprise – a tattoo of a demon, sprawling out to his entire back, bathed in red, orange and purple flames, scaling from neck to tailbone, expanding over his shoulders and sides. It was so fitting for Hidan, the devil he truly was at his core, obsessed with fury. Damned to searching for it.</p><p>Kakuzu felt his legs shake at the pleasure of owning, taming the man with his dick, as he followed his orders and watched himself in the mirror. Kakuzu wanted to see Hidan come apart. He wanted to make a total mess of him, ruin him, see him come undone getting pounded by the cock making him scream. And he wanted Hidan to watch.</p><p>He yanked Hidan back up close to him by his hair, keeping his back arched, but letting Hidan’s head fall gently to his shoulder once more.</p><p>“So fucking <em> tight </em>…Tell me how good it feels.” Kakuzu ordered again.</p><p>Kakuzu already felt the need to stave off the orgasm in his lower stomach. He kept his hand around Hidan’s neck, controlling him, but released his hair to once again stroke Hidan’s needy, desperate cock.</p><p>Hidan groaned, eyes almost crossing at the overwhelming sensation, but so very excited to express himself to Kakuzu.</p><p>“S-so..<em> so </em> fucking…so <em> good </em> , you feel <em> so good</em>...” Hidan whined out. “Your dick i-is <em> so good</em>…<em>too </em> good, <em> please</em>…”</p><p>Kakuzu was both satisfied and urged on by these wanton admissions of pleasure as he wrecked Hidan’s sensitive prostate. He felt his own orgasm building inside him again, and the part of his brain that practiced any type of restraint or decency completely overridden now with his own need.</p><p>“I-I’m gonna cum, Kakuzu <em>please </em> , I can’t…I can’t take it, it feels <em> too good</em>…” Hidan was truly helpless and burning beneath Kakuzu now, hardly able to keep himself upright. He clutched at either of Kakuzu’s wrists for support as his legs shook.</p><p>“Not yet.” Kakuzu ordered him. Hidan whined out as he begged him with just his eyes and moans for release.</p><p>He turned again to Hidan’s ear and kept his gaze in the mirror, letting the hand around his throat squeeze just a bit tighter. “<em>You want me to cum inside you? </em>” He whispered, as a titillating question, posed to get more pleas from the shaking man beneath him.</p><p>“<em>Please!" </em> Hidan cried, dragging it out as if he would die without it. “P- <em> please </em> , cum in me, I-I <em> need </em> it, K-Kakuzu, <em> please…let me cum with you </em>…”</p><p>Hidan’s desperation was bordering on obsession now. Still stroking Hidan, Kakuzu felt the primal urge to oblige him. He felt his own release approaching past the point of no return, and turned his mouth to Hidan’s ear.</p><p>“<em>Cum for me </em>.” Kakuzu demanded.</p><p>Through clenched teeth, his own orgasm came rushing over him in that moment, the fire engulfing him. Hidan obeyed him as he came cursing, incoherent and gasping Kakuzu’s name. Kakuzu pressed his dick in as deep as he could to fill Hidan like he needed to be. He didn’t stop stroking him until every last drop of ecstasy was wrung from his shaking body, all over himself, his own hand, the mirror and the desk in front of them.</p><p>“<em>K-Kakuzu</em>…” Hidan whimpered out one final time as he watched Kakuzu groan out the final waves of his orgasm deep inside of him. He stared wide-eyed and slack-jawed, out of breath and transfixed, as the larger man whispered his name back in his ear as he came in him. A new flush came to his pale his cheeks, in a trance feeling the man come undone inside of him - because of him.</p><p>Kakuzu loosened his grip on Hidan’s neck, and slid it down to Hidan’s heaving chest, the other to rest on Hidan’s lower stomach. Hidan’s hands moved to caress over them, both of them panting, coming down to reality. Kakuzu dropped his forehead to Hidan’s shoulder, and pulled out of Hidan, causing the younger man to barely gasp as he left him. Kakuzu let his eyes shut slowly, trying to get the room to stop spinning. His mind was blank, head empty.</p><p>They stayed this way for a minute, catching their breath. Neither of them spoke. Kakuzu’s long dark hair had spilled over Hidan’s chest and shoulder, tickling his stomach. Hidan watched it in the mirror, and couldn’t help but bring his fingers to the strands. It was softer than it looked.</p><p>Kakuzu opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out. He kept his face tucked behind Hidan’s shoulder. He felt uncertainty creeping up his throat. He swallowed deep, and his fingers pressed just a bit tighter into the embrace he had on Hidan.</p><p>He didn’t know what he was supposed to do now. A moment ago, he was the decision maker. The punisher. The lesson teacher. The place-putter dominating a defiant demon. Now he was just a man, holding another, unsure of where to go next. In disbelief that this was even real. That this wasn’t just some hallucination. He was sure he didn’t want it to be though. For once, he hoped that Hidan would speak up, and tell him where to go, what to do, what this was. And he did.</p><p>“Wow…” Hidan simply breathed, and suddenly a throaty chuckle pulled from his belly. “God<em> damn</em>, that was <em>so </em> fucking hot…” Hidan swayed lightly, to see if Kakuzu was ready to turn around yet – he wasn’t.</p><p>Kakuzu said nothing as he kept his eyes closed, and head down to Hidan’s shoulder. He gripped him so tight, holding on to him, as if he were the only thing that was real in the room. Hidan spoke again with breathy laughter.</p><p>“I <em> knew </em> you had to be a fucking pro, and I was right!” Hidan sighed. “You must have picked up that mirror trick in jail, huh?”</p><p>Kakuzu shook his head quickly against Hidan, dismissing the nonsense he spoke, without realizing it would just give him another question.</p><p>“No? Maybe just used to handling freaks on the outside then?” Hidan genuinely asked him.</p><p>Kakuzu said nothing, but realized that he was waiting for a real answer. He didn’t know what else to do, so he shrugged and shook his head again.</p><p>Hidan tilted his head in curiosity.</p><p>“Wait, was…? No - was that your first time with a guy?” Hidan pressed.</p><p>Kakuzu was still, and said nothing.</p><p>Hidan’s eyes trailed over Kakuzu’s hands on his body, and they didn’t look as possessive as they did just a few moments before.</p><p>“Was that…your first time <em> ever </em>?” Hidan asked quieter, assuming he’d certainly get Kakuzu to tell him he wasn’t a virgin.</p><p>Kakuzu still didn’t move, but took a sharp breath in through his nose and sighed out against Hidan’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t just lie and say this wasn’t his first time, but something about the alcohol, the orgasm, the exhaustion, and Hidan in general had his brain scrambled. He couldn’t think straight enough to pretend anymore.</p><p>Hidan forced himself from Kakuzu’s grip and turned to look at him, craning his face to look at him. He stared up at him, hands on his shoulders, head tilted in fascination. Kakuzu didn’t look away, but chose to look at Hidan’s features instead of at his eyes directly.</p><p>“You’re…you’re<em> serious </em>?” Hidan asked again, to confirm this new piece of information.</p><p>Kakuzu still didn’t know what to say to shut him up, so he just figured he’d go with the approach from earlier. He reached one hand up to caress the side of Hidan’s face and titled his jaw up, and kissed him – a real kiss.</p><p>He wasn’t sure why he did it, and he didn’t even know if Hidan would accept something that wasn’t violent or domineering, but this kiss pulled something real from him, something deep from his gut. Something honest, and raw that Kakuzu didn’t know was there, as Hidan kissed him back.</p><p>Kakuzu pulled away and spoke just above a whisper, eyes closed with his forehead touching Hidan’s.</p><p>“I don't know what I’m doing. I don’t know what this is.”</p><p>He didn’t even know he was speaking it until it was said. It was blunt, somewhat vague, but true. One of the only times Hidan ever heard Kakuzu speak candidly without some kind of wall up or mask on.</p><p>Hidan was silent for a moment, something that was rare for him. He truly could not believe this grown man, this criminal, this murderer, this predator was a fucking <em> virgin </em> . He knew in this moment though that Kakuzu was truly looking to him for the next step, for guidance, in what had just happened between them. He felt somewhat guilty that he wasn’t more considerate of the fact that this aggressive, power-play dynamic between them was the overtone of Kakuzu’s first time. <em> How could that historic fucking have been his first time? </em> Then again, he doubted that between the two of them, and the chemistry they shared, Kakuzu would have had it any other way.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Hidan nodded against him after a few moments. “Here, lets uh, let’s get in the shower, okay?” He didn’t exactly know how to handle this situation either.</p><p>Hidan ignored his own cum on the desk and chose to make a housekeeping joke about it after he cleaned it up later. He took Kakuzu’s hand and led him to his own hotel bathroom, starting the water for them and turning back to Kakuzu as it warmed up.</p><p>He didn’t think Kakuzu looked flustered, or embarrassed, or anything like that. He did look tired, but there was something about the way he was looking at Hidan, the look in his eyes. Something changed, something was different. He didn’t know how to describe it, but he looked as if he…trusted him. He looked like he felt safe for once, his brows weren’t as knitted up in anger, or at the very least, concern like they always were. He wasn’t in his constant state of vigilance and defense. It was like he’d finally expressed something that he had built up inside him for years and years.</p><p>Hidan thought for a second that this was the way he’d wanted Kakuzu to look at him for days now, but he barely knew what to do now that he had him in this position. He wondered how long Kakuzu would stay mystified and somewhat docile like this as he led him in the shower behind him. Hidan was still astonished that this once cruel and short-tempered man who he’d been picking at and fucking with as much as possible for the past forty-eight hours had just fucking annihilated his body, and made him watch it in the mirror...and now he was a misty-eyed sleepy virgin? The more layers he unraveled, the less he truly understood.</p><p>Hidan was now able to look over Kakuzu’s body, having only seen his top half naked for the past two days. He had wondered if Kakuzu really was as covered in tattoos as he said he was, and now he didn’t have to imagine. The entirety of his legs were completely sleeved in ink, even places like his inner thighs, backs of his knees, ankles and the tops of his feet, black and grey mixing together, like he was more painting than person.</p><p>He gazed over his own work on his back, now able to see with both surprise and disappointment that his ass was not fully tattooed like he’d speculated before. However, Hidan reassessed the thought, realizing that it just wasn’t tattooed <em> yet </em>. He would spend some time tomorrow trying to convince Kakuzu to let him, both to piss him off and to convince him to come around again since he only had one session left.</p><p>Hidan shook the thought of tomorrow being their last day together out of his head. It made him anxious and he didn’t want to consider it really being the last time he’d see him. He’d do whatever he could to prevent that. Hidan was conflicted between being honored and sorrowful that this would be the last piece Kakuzu would ever get. He hoped this wouldn’t be the last time Kakuzu would want to spend time with him like this.</p><p>“That was seriously the best sex of my life,” Hidan laughed to distract himself as he let the water run over his hair and face. He looked back to Kakuzu to gauge his almost cast-over expression. “I mean, people would <em> pay </em> for that type of dick, ya know?”</p><p>Kakuzu raised his brows to the question, not looking in Hidan’s eyes. Instead he chose to look over Hidan without malice, just simply watching his movements, his gestures, his arms and neck and hands. His hands always moved so quickly but so effortlessly. Kakuzu wondered if that came with practice or if he was just born like that.</p><p>“Where the fuck did you even learn shit like that?” Hidan added the question as he received no answer, scrubbing shampoo through his hair. “I mean, I know I’m a real button-pusher and all, but damn - I didn’t know you’d actually <em> teach me my lesson </em> or whatever!”</p><p>Hidan opened his eyes once most of the shampoo washed from his hair, trailing white down his body. He referred to the vernacular as if he weren’t the one who coined it, and begged for it at the older man’s feet just moments ago. He looked to Kakuzu with a smile for an answer this time.</p><p>“Somebody had to do it.” Kakuzu half-joked tilted his neck the other way and noticed the hickeys and bite marks he left were deeper red. They’d likely turn purple just like the bruises under Hidan’s eyes, only these would be hidden amongst tattoos.</p><p>Hidan laughed at his light-hearted comment and placed his hand on Kakuzu’s arm to switch their places. “Hell yeah, you were the man for the job,” He was a little softer with his tone now. “I mean, I hope you liked it as much as I did.”</p><p>That didn’t register as a question to Kakuzu, and Hidan hoped his silence was an agreement. Kakuzu let the warm water over his body, not concerned with how it stung his back that he had completely forgotten about being freshly tattooed. His eyes closed for a moment, but he was worried that he’d lose his balance from the hot water dizzying him. He was exhausted. He opened his eyes, and as he did, felt Hidan lathering up his chest with cheap hotel soap.</p><p>“Have you ever showered with a guy before at least?” Hidan asked as he busied his hands. To his surprise, Kakuzu smiled and blinked slowly, letting his eyes close. He nodded.</p><p>“Oh yeah, tons,” Kakuzu spoke with gentle sarcasm. “Even stabbed a few in there too.”</p><p>Hidan laughed at the unexpected joke as he moved to scrub Kakuzu’s arms. “You know what I mean, an actual shower like this - not jail, asshole!”</p><p>Kakuzu kept his eyes closed but he continued smiling as he shook his head, no.</p><p>Hidan raised his brows and continued attending to Kakuzu. “Well, I guess it’s both our first time then.”</p><p>Kakuzu opened his eyes to look at Hidan who didn’t look back to him, and he simply started lathering his legs with a smile on his face.</p><p>Hidan noticed large portraits of two young women on Kakuzu, one on each thigh. They were remarkably detailed and well-executed for what Hidan could tell were tattoos made in jail. One was pictured to be a much younger girl. They had dark hair and gentle smiles. Kakuzu kept all of his tattoos private, but this was clearly where he’d kept his most personal work. Hidan moved over the woman’s likeness on his left thigh.</p><p>“Who’s this?” He asked simply, as he continued scrubbing his large, built leg.</p><p>“Mom.” Kakuzu said simply, lazily watching Hidan.</p><p>“Beautiful,” Hidan nodded as he moved to the next leg. “And this?”</p><p>“Baby sister.” Kakuzu added, expecting the question. “She’d be twenty-eight.”</p><p>“Where are they?” Hidan asked, not looking up as he continued. It was odd to hear such an independent man refer to family with such casual terms.</p><p>Kakuzu didn’t speak for a moment. He blinked as he thought of the best way to answer the question, and let out a breath.</p><p>“I don’t know,” he almost questioned with a light shake of his head. “They were offered witness protection if they cooperated with law enforcement about my case. And I told them to, so that they could be safe.”</p><p>Hidan didn’t speak, but his brows furled as he listened, hoping Kakuzu would continue - he did.</p><p>“I told them to tell them everything they knew - which was nothing, I made sure of it. I was not eligible because I did not cooperate.” Kakuzu sighed deeply before continuing.</p><p>“This was fifteen years ago.” He concluded, as if stating the time passed would make it easier.</p><p>Hidan really was at a loss. He wasn’t sure of how to go about this admission of life history. Getting details about Kakuzu’s criminal history was one thing, but this was not only serious - it was almost heartbreaking.</p><p>“That must have been really hard,” Hidan stated quietly as he rose to his feet. He turned Kakuzu gently, and started combing his fingers through Kakuzu’s hair with shampoo, washing the long dark locks. “Do you miss them?”</p><p>“The right choices are often the hardest,” Kakuzu didn’t answer the last part of the question as he shut his eyes and sighed. “It was the best way to keep them safe - no liabilities.”</p><p>There was that word again - <em> liability</em>. Hidan scrubbed gently, massaging Kakuzu’s scalp as he let his own chest rest gently against Kakuzu’s sore back. He wasn’t sure if he could ask him another question, so he kept quiet for a bit. He knew Kakuzu was alone, but he didn’t realize that it had been due to such tremendous personal sacrifice. Surprisingly, Kakuzu spoke again.</p><p>“Do you miss your mother?” Kakuzu asked. Hidan was outright stunned at such an overt personal question. Kakuzu never asked him anything before, definitely nothing this deep or profound. Even if it was a simple question, it still startled Hidan with its honesty, and vulnerability. It took him a moment to speak up, and when he did, it was just above a whisper.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah I do.” Hidan withdrew his fingers from Kakuzu’s hair as he pushed his hand forward in front of Kakuzu’s face. The showerhead rinsed away the shampoo suds as he displayed the back of his hand to him. It was a portrait of who Kakuzu now learned was his mother, much younger, probably around Hidan’s age. He looked over the hand displayed for him, and focused on the woman’s similarly purple eyes. Kakuzu couldn’t help but to reach out and take the painted hand in his own to examine it as Hidan continued.</p><p>“I mean, she was an addict, and basically checked out on me when I was just twelve or thirteen. But at least she stuck around - never met my dad.” Hidan let the water rinse Kakuzu’s hair as he let his right hand lay gently on Kakuzu’s shoulder. He pressed his cheek against Kakuzu’s other shoulder tenderly, and elaborated further.</p><p>“She was beautiful,” Hidan spoke listlessly. “She taught me to fight hard for everything, not to give up for shit. To stand up for who I am, no matter what.”</p><p>Kakuzu ran his thumb over the back of Hidan’s hand and listened as he spoke more kindly about the woman he’d previously called a junkie.</p><p>“Where’s your dad?” Hidan quickly changed the question. Kakuzu blinked, this was a question he wasn’t looking forward to answering. He turned Hidan’s hand around in his hand gently stroking it. Hidan remained in disbelief that he was able to be so intimate, so close with someone like Kakuzu, but didn’t show it.</p><p>“Dead.” Kakuzu said with no inflection, back still to the shorter man.</p><p>“Yeah?” Hidan started. “Do you miss him?”</p><p>“No.” Kakuzu’s answer was quick and firm, but still gentle.</p><p>Hidan wrapped his fingers around Kakuzu’s thumb in his palm.</p><p>“Then I guess that’s a good thing.” Hidan let Kakuzu continue to touch his hand.</p><p>“It was the right thing.”</p><p>Hidan stopped for a moment, letting what Kakuzu said sink in to him. He stilled his hands as Kakuzu continued to look over his left one, rubbing and closely studying. Hidan wasn’t entirely sure what he was implying by that. He knew Kakuzu hurt people, he knew he was no stranger to cold blood, but would he really go that far? Hidan didn’t say anything while Kakuzu gently dropped Hidan’s hand.</p><p>Kakuzu turned, and blinked slowly as he chose to simply watch Hidan’s face. Kakuzu didn’t know why, but he needed Hidan to be still again, like that night before. After closely surveying his hand and fingers just now, he needed to really see him.</p><p>He slid both hands up to cradle Hidan’s face up, staring down at him. Hidan stopped his movements, and looked up, brows raised as he waited for Kakuzu to kiss him, or say something…but he didn’t.</p><p>Kakuzu’s eyes roamed all over Hidan’s features. The tattoo above his brow, the light pink to his cheeks in the warm water, his sweet lips just barely parted in question, the purple eyes with dark marks beneath them. He’d never looked at someone quite like Hidan before. He’d never in his life wanted to, needed to, just…<em> stare </em> at someone so badly. To wander his eyes over them. To marvel at them, for minutes, hours. He opened his mouth to say something, but again, nothing came out.</p><p>They stayed like this for a minute, until Hidan reached up and touched one of Kakuzu’s hands with his finger tips.</p><p>“You alright?” He asked inquisitively, a smile as he tilted his head.</p><p>Kakuzu blinked, and opened his mouth one more time.</p><p>“You’re…very good-looking.” He stated somewhat clumsily. However, he spoke it as if it were the only truth he knew at the moment.</p><p>Hidan couldn’t help but laugh out loud at the strange statement, but it was the nicest thing Kakuzu had ever said to him. It had come from a place of vulnerability and exhaustion, but Hidan knew it was absolutely real. Hidan was still in awe that this was the same man who’d punched him two days ago, who’d just fucking ravaged his body, absolutely violated him.</p><p>“Thanks, stud,” He patted Kakuzu’s hand gently. “Let’s get you to bed.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Gates Out</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for being patient with me while i was wilin' out for xmas/new years (sike i was drunk at home alone thx covid) things are going to heat up soon, you KNOW we love a slow burn</p><p>hidan's just as troubled as he is resilient fr</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><em> "Yeah, you might have been a big hitter in the streets, we heard all about it. But in here, you listen to us </em> <em> .” </em></p><p>
  <em> Hands on his legs, dark cell, wrists above his head, heavy breathing. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “You come in here without proper respect to us, we'll fuckin' take it from you.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> One, two holding his legs. A third at his wrists. Fourth with a knife, running his mouth. </em>
</p><p><em> “ </em> <em> You're gonna be a good kid in here now, and smile politely when you see me and my guys around here, alright? We're gonna make sure you do.” </em></p><p>
  <em> C.O.’s boots at the door. Dirty mother fucker got paid off. Metal in his mouth, over his face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> "Now open wide, sweetheart..." </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Tearing, searing pain in his stomach, puncturing once, twice. Hands straining against his thrashing legs and arms. The knife tears into his right cheek, all he can taste is blood. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “Now, if you want to work for me, like we talked about, we can just call this your initiation.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu felt blood dripping over his sides from his wounded abdomen. He could barely see the older man’s sickening grin shine from the light under the door. His throat was filled with blood coming up from his stomach, and down from his mouth. His fists grew weak, and his legs were shaking. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> “And if not, then you can die here in your cell. Your choice.” </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He held his knife to Kakuzu’s chin, and the man behind him held his weapon over Kakuzu’s chest now, ready to continue his onslaught. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu’s arms and legs went limp, his breathing ragged, his jaw shaking, mouth torn to shreds. He was dizzy and the pain in his face and stomach made taking even just shallow breaths through his nose hurt. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He wondered if this was the end of the line. He thought about his mother and baby sister, if they were safe, even if they were in protection. He’d considered many times that his death would give them true safety from retaliation or revenge for his actions. He would never in his life let someone force him to submit - he’d rather die. The cell grew dark and cold, his eyelids felt heavy. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu took a final deep breath, filling his lungs with air, despite how much it pained his punctured diaphragm. He opened his eyes, and with as much force as he could muster with his eviscerated face, he spit his mouthful of blood into the man’s face. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> With a curse, the man stumbled back, and that gave Kakuzu enough leverage to headbutt the man restricting his arms. As the knife above his chest clattered to the floor, he wrenched his right leg from a surprised man at the foot of the bed, and delivered a swift kick to the jaw closest, and another to the man still holding his left. They both tumbled to the floor, either knocked unconscious or groaning. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu rolled to his side and saw the older man’s bloodied knife that was just in his face on the floor. It was a real one, a switch blade with a sharp point, glinting and barely visible from the light beneath the door. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> In one move, he pushed his assailant to the wall with his forearm to his throat, and delivered the knife to his stomach, five, six, seven times. The man’s face was a mix of his own shock and Kakuzu’s blood as the knife swiftly plunged up and into his heart between ribs, more than he could count. His eyes were going glassy as he choked out blood, and Kakuzu finished by jamming the knife into his carotid artery in the side of his neck. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Kakuzu let the man in front of him fall to his feet. A knife plunged into his shoulder and carved fire down to his ribs. </em>
</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kakuzu snapped awake, gasping as he threw himself from his stomach to sit upright, his arms and fists raised in defense. He panted as his eyes darted around the sunny room, assessing his surroundings. He swallowed deeply as his mind swam quickly back to reality. He flexed his fingers as he began to regulate his breathing. He brought his fingers to the lower side of his left stomach, feeling thick scar tissue over his flexing abdomen. He shook away the sting from the scars on his shoulders from his memory, the pain in his back just from his fresh tattoos.</p><p>He looked to the side of the bed, not finding Hidan where he was supposed to be. Kakuzu blinked his eyes heavily and breathed out a heavy sigh to ground himself. He rubbed a hand over his face and through his hair. The memories of the night came back to him in pieces as he swiftly rose to his feet to grab his jacket and cigarettes to have a smoke on the balcony before check-out time in a few hours.</p><p>Kakuzu briefly glanced in the mirror at the desk, unable to look at himself directly, and he made his way outside. As the door closed behind him, he lit his cigarette, quickly replacing the lighter in his pocket. He stared aimlessly out at another empty morning sky the city offered, only now it was maybe a bit more grey than before. He breathed out a breath of smoke and decided to let his brain start to process last night’s events, and his role in them.</p><p>The last thing Kakuzu remembered was positioning himself on his stomach in bed with Hidan at his side with his hand on his shoulder. Hidan had brought the covers up over them softly so as not to disturb Kakuzu’s back. There was little discussed once he was laying down as he was fully exhausted. Prior to bed, Hidan had  brought him to the shower, and bathed him head to toe, as if he was unable to himself. Kakuzu wanted to pretend he hated Hidan for doing it, but he couldn't recall disliking anything about it.</p><p>He remembered caressing the sides of Hidan’s pale cheeks, looking over the face he’d demanded be still for a moment for him. Kakuzu still didn’t know why he had such a strong compulsion to study Hidan. He couldn’t figure out why he was so captivated by him. He remembered wanting to say something to him, he had a thousand, a million things to say to Hidan, but he couldn't think of a single word.</p><p>Kakuzu approached the railing and perched his elbows against it. He dropped his head low, and let his left hand hold his brow, as if his mind weighed that heavy in his skull. He thought about what led them to the shower, what Hidan felt like when he held him from behind, what he felt like when Kakuzu was inside of him. Kakuzu swallowed heavily, his breath felt hot in his throat as he took another hit of his cigarette as if it might clear the memories from the forefront of his mind.</p><p>He closed his eyes again, and there were the images of Hidan, burning, writhing in his head. The glimpse of an angel with the devil’s eyes in the mirror before him. Kakuzu wanted Hidan to see, he needed Hidan to see what he made happen. What he made both of them become. As if Hidan were the insides of Kakuzu, the bad parts and the best parts, splayed before him to be disciplined, rewarded, and taken.</p><p>Kakuzu looked down to the cigarette in his hand, and watched as the barely orange smolder ate away at the cigarette in his fingers, turning tobacco to ash. Kakuzu thought for a moment that Hidan was just as hot inside. He felt lost, unable to separate himself from his thoughts, unable to defy his subconscious as he normally did. His graphic memories of the events that transpired between them couldn’t be compartmentalized. Kakuzu felt the heat in his stomach and chest continue to burn slowly in spite of the cold air.</p><p>He truly meant it when he told Hidan that he didn’t know what he was doing. That he didn’t know what this was. Kakuzu had no idea how to articulate any of it. Words like <em> attraction </em> and <em> desire </em> entered his mind, but there was a creeping feeling in his gut that told him this was obviously so much more than that. There was no quantifying it though. Kakuzu took another drag of his cigarette. He couldn’t find justification or validation for anything anymore.</p><p>With the next breath he took, a pang of concern hit him. Hidan wasn’t next to him this morning. There was no sign of him being here at all. Did it even matter how  Kakuzu felt? This magnetic and explosive chemistry between them, this volatile enamorment that he’d never experienced before - was it all over now? Was this just some kind of game to Hidan, another one of his devious little manipulations to get a rise out of Kakuzu? To get what he wanted out of him? Even if it wasn’t, he was gone now, left  alone to guess the next move, to put the pieces together by himself.</p><p>Kakuzu cursed under his breath as he yet again wasn’t sure where to go from here. He thought for a second about just leaving. Hotel check-out was approaching. He could just pack up his things, throw them in his car, and instead of walking to the shop for his last session, he could get in and drive away. Far away, back home. He could even send the final payment to Sasori’s CashApp, delete SBJ from his phone, and pretend this never happened. Who cares if he had an unfinished back piece? No one would ever see it. It’d be behind him forever anyway. He could leave this whole confusing, aggravating, exhausting situation behind him. He could pretend this mistake really was just a dream. That’s probably what Hidan would prefer too.</p><p>Kakuzu felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.</p><p>
  <em> breakfast at the shop, stud!! chop chop, we’re burnin daylight!! </em>
</p><p>Hidan’s text pulled him from his conflicted lamenting. He blinked as he reread the message a few times. A breath escaped his lips that he didn’t know he was holding. He was absolutely loathing facing Hidan just as much as he was leaving without a word. But his text had shaken out the tension between them, and let him know where he stood. Hidan was just as good at starting conflict as he was diffusing it.</p><p>Kakuzu nodded to himself as he made the decision to finish his last session. He put out his cigarette and headed inside to get his few meager belongings together to leave the hotel for the last time. Sure, Hidan had dissolved some of the pressure by giving Kakuzu the all-clear. However, Kakuzu knew that once they laid eyes on each other today, things would be changed irrevocably between them. There was no going back from what happened, even if he had no idea what going forward looked like. Not to mention that there was still the lingering uncertainty of what would happen when they were done today, and no longer obligated to one another.</p><p>Kakuzu waved that thought from his head as he finished gathering his belongings after getting dressed. He slipped his mask over his mouth, and pulled up his hood, thinking back to his first night here. He couldn’t really process just how much had developed in the past two days. Kakuzu was never a fan of anticipation of the unknown, but something about it this time was different.</p><p>He didn’t look back as he shut the door for the last time. </p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>Kakuzu could see his breath in the cold air as he made his way down the sidewalk to the shop for the last time. It wasn’t as frigid as it had been before, and what little snow had fallen this winter had  fully dissipated. The sky looked darker now that he was outside, but it still cast diffused light over the streets. He wondered what this same downtown sidewalk looked like when it was warm. Despite the weekend, there weren’t many cars, and the city seemed sleepy.</p><p>As he approached the glass of the tattoo shop, he could make out Hidan sitting in the front lobby, chewing a mouth full of food, and scrolling his phone. Kakuzu looked toward the desk where he’d normally see Deidara, but it was empty. He didn’t see Sasori, Kisame or Itachi either. He cleared his throat and hoped he wouldn’t have to figure out a justification for where he and Hidan had gone after last night’s party at the shop. Then he wondered what Hidan could have told them.</p><p>He made his final steps toward the building, then Hidan noticed him, swallowing his bite of breakfast and smiling. Kakuzu pulled the handle of the door and walked in, noticing the posh fireplace and dangling lights were off, only letting stale grey light from the windows pooling in.</p><p>“Hey, Trouble.” Hidan smiled and took another bite of what was some sort of breakfast sandwich. He tilted his head toward the coffee table and motioned for Kakuzu to sit down and eat with him.</p><p>Kakuzu obliged and removed his mask then hood, and sat on the couch opposite Hidan. He didn’t like to have his back to windows, but he wasn’t sure if he should just go sit next to him.</p><p>“Where is everybody?’ Kakuzu asked as he sat, shuffling off his coat to the side, not making eye contact, unsure of where to begin.</p><p>“It’s Sunday,” Hidan stood up and moved to the door to lock it. “Unless somebody books a big piece, we’re not open. Just you and me today.”</p><p>Kakuzu rubbed his palms against his thighs as he looked at the array of breakfast food and coffee in front of him on the table, the large art books had been pushed to the side. He was relieved that it’d just be the two of them today, not having to answer any questions about last night. Kakuzu himself didn’t even know what happened last night, so he was grateful they’d have some privacy to navigate this.</p><p>As Hidan re-seated himself, Kakuzu got a look at him, and realized he was wearing the hoodie he’d worn the night he came here. It looked faded in the winter daylight from the windows, more like dark grey instead of black. It was about two sizes too big for him, and it was zipped only about half way up his naked chest. He just barely shifted to the side a bit, revealing a decorated collarbone. In the light, Kakuzu could see some teeth marks and hickeys turning purple and red where there wasn’t ink.</p><p>“Sorry for stealing it,” Hidan spoke up and smiled as he realized Kakuzu noticed. “My shirt was in pieces on the floor for some reason.”</p><p>Kakuzu tilted his face down and closed his eyes at the bold reminder of how he thoughtlessly, savagely tore up Hidan’s shirt just hours ago. Despite his internal cringing at his act of barbarity, he couldn’t help his eyes opening up again to see Hidan in his hoodie. He had the sleeves pushed up to his elbows while he ate. Somehow he made the too-large garment look so effortless on his frame. Like it was draped over him, like some kind of Socratic statue, hunched over and carved from marble. Kakuzu couldn’t believe how everything from his own sweatshirt, to the purple bruises under his eyes all looked like they belonged to him. Like they were <em> made </em> for him.</p><p>“Sorry…” Kakuzu thought to say, as he finally peeled his eyes away.</p><p>“It’s all good,” Hidan started back on breakfast. “I know it looks great on me and all, but I’ll be sure to get it back to you before you leave.”</p><p>“Don’t worry about it,” Kakuzu shook his head, probably a bit more quickly than he should. He didn’t know why, but he felt like he needed Hidan to wear it. “Keep it.”</p><p>“If you insist.” Hidan didn’t look up as he grabbed his coffee from the table, and smiled smugly, as if he knew Kakuzu would tell him to. Hidan spoke up again.</p><p>“Yo, we were fucked <em> up </em> last night,” Hidan changed the subject and laughed, putting his foot on the coffee table and pulling up the leg of his sweatpants to display the fresh tattoo around his ankle. “Look at this shit!”</p><p>Kakuzu had forgotten about the tattoo entirely, scolding himself again, but also refusing to take the blame. He had tried to talk Hidan out of it, and even asked him if he was sure he wanted to do this, but he was hellbent.</p><p>“Don’t even try to blame me for that,” Kakuzu said as he picked up a paper bag to get himself some breakfast. “It’s not my fault you’re a lunatic.”</p><p>“I’m not blaming you - it’s fucking sweet!” They both examined the simple tattoo, which really wasn’t terrible, albeit somewhat underwhelming. “Now we got lil’ friendship bracelets.”</p><p>“And I got eighty bucks.” Kakuzu justified his motive, but felt an unfamiliar warmth when Hidan mentioned their new connection which surprised him. He didn’t let it show on his face.</p><p>“You got us conned out of the title is what you did,” Hidan referred back to the beer pong competition. “Itachi and Kisame act like it’s no big deal, but take that shit so seriously, especially when somebody’s makin’ ‘em sweat.”</p><p>Kakuzu remembered how eager Kisame was to nullify their bet to retain their championship. He found it amusing, and wondered again what the others thought happened with them last night.</p><p>“Where did they end up after the party?” Kakuzu asked, not looking up as he took a bite from his sandwich, attempting to seem nonchalant.</p><p>“Who knows,” Hidan waved off the question. “They were all so shit-faced. I’m surprised I didn’t find at least one of them passed out in here like they normally are after drinking when I opened up the shop this morning.”</p><p>The answer still didn’t placate Kakuzu, and Hidan could tell he was still prying for an answer with his silent gaze without looking up. He continued.</p><p>“They think I went back upstairs - that’s what I told them before I took off at least.” Hidan crumpled up some wrappers and napkins for the trash. “They don’t know where I went.”</p><p>Kakuzu sighed through his nose, and looked to his own hands again. For some reason, the way Hidan said it - like it was a secret - didn’t feel right to him. He didn’t want Hidan to feel like it was a mistake. Even though it probably was a mistake, and Kakuzu had probably taken things too far, he didn’t want to hear Hidan say that out loud, even if that’s what was prompted of him.</p><p>“I’m sorry if what I did was…” Kakuzu couldn’t find the right words. Better yet, he could find plenty of them - sorry if that was too <em> rough </em> , too <em> much </em> , too <em> intense </em> , <em> uncalled for, </em> fucking <em> reckless </em>. But Hidan fortunately dismissed him before he could pick what to say.</p><p>“Sorry? You rocked my fucking world!” Hidan’s eyes sparked up like they did when he was overly-excited about anything. He ran his hand through his hair, and shrugged. “I mean, I don’t wanna make you feel like, weird about it or anything, but damn - you deserve a medal or a trophy or something for that!”</p><p>Kakuzu looked to his left and out the window at the side, wishing he could pull up his mask so Hidan wouldn't see the smile creeping at his lips. He couldn’t help it anymore, he looked down at the floor and laughed in his chest at the brash compliment from the ever-bold Hidan. He rubbed his hands together, unsure of what to say, bashful at the compliment. Hidan got the upper hand and kept at it.</p><p>“It’ll say ‘<em> Kakuzu - Man of Your Dreams, Dick of Your Nightmares </em>’!” Hidan motioned his hand to the air to further illustrate, and looked up and away as if he were imagining it.</p><p>Kakuzu now had his hands rubbing over his face, elbows on his knees. He wished this action wasn’t encouraging his behavior, but he also found Hidan’s rave reviews to be amusing, and flattering in their own way. He might have been laughing in relief as well. He was somehow comforted by Hidan’s jokes. He was reassured that things might not be all that tense between them.</p><p>Kakuzu sat back and threw an arm over the back of the couch. He smirked as he looked Hidan up and down again.</p><p>“Man of your <em> dreams </em>, huh?” He asked while nodding, as if considering his new title while throwing an unexpected jab of sarcasm to Hidan. He thought it might be too daring, but he figured if Hidan could dish it out, he could take some.</p><p>It was rare to catch Hidan off guard. He was quick-witted and slick, and always had a smart comment lined up, ready to go. This time, it was Hidan who laughed and looked down at his hands. Kakuzu could easily see the pink creeping to his cheeks in the stark morning light through the glass.</p><p>Instead of saying anything, Hidan kept his face pointed down, elbows on his knees, and when he decided to look up, it was just with his eyes. That wild, evil little look he’d gotten before in the dark red of the back room, that look intended to challenge Kakuzu. This time less devious and more impish, but just as intentional, framed by those purple bruises. </p><p>Kakuzu squinted at him, not breaking the deadlock they had in each other’s eyes. Kakuzu wasn’t going to back down this time, having learned that Hidan’s intentional provocations were best met with resistance. Kakuzu’s face was stern but somehow still held a playful grin.</p><p>To Kakuzu’s surprise, Hidan blinked and disengaged completely, his innocence returning as he quickly stood to gather up their breakfast trash to discard it. </p><p>“Well, like I said, we’re burning daylight!” He spoke energetically. “Not much left for the background, we might even get done early!”</p><p>Kakuzu rose to his feet, and tried to dismiss the feeling of apprehension at the idea leaving sooner than he thought. He didn’t know how to express that to Hidan, he still didn’t even know why he felt that way. Thought of being done here, giving Hidan his cash, and heading out and leaving this city for good seemed...well, wrong.</p><p>“Done early, you say?” Kakuzu asked, heading around the coffee table to follow Hidan down the hall. He cleared his throat when he heard his voice sound more concerned than it should have. </p><p>Hidan spoke over his shoulder as he headed toward his open studio door. “That’s right - I know you’ve gotta be on your last legs, I’ve been beating your ass all weekend!”</p><p>Kakuzu followed him into his workspace and left the door open since it was just the two of them. Kakuzu was reminded of the soreness in his back. He’d likely be able to sit for this day only and then he’d need some real recovery time. He could definitely take it, but it’d be the toughest day yet.</p><p>Hidan set up at his desk while Kakuzu knew the usual set-up routine for their sessions. Hidan had already set up his work area with his machine and ink ready. Kakuzu removed his shirt and set his belongings down on that plush armchair for the third, and final time this weekend. He swallowed the thought away and stood with his back to the mirror to quickly examine the work and re-tie his hair before laying down on the bed as usual.</p><p>Hidan joined Kakuzu in the mirror to check his work over. The majority of the tattoo was done - fresh, and swollen, but otherwise the composition was almost complete. It was striking to Kakuzu, to appear so differently to himself now, with such a large amount of brand new black ink cascading over his back. Hidan made notes of where he’d be starting and what his action plan would be.</p><p>Kakuzu had untied his hair and shook it out with his hand, catching Hidan’s eye immediately. He gingerly took the hair tie from Kakuzu’s hand, and decided he’d put it up for him.</p><p>“This already looks pretty sick,” Hidan said as he gathered Kakuzu’s hair at his nape. “But once we get done today, it’s all gonna come together.”</p><p>Kakuzu felt that weird feeling in his stomach again while Hidan thoughtlessly threw his hair up in a bun for him at the base of his hairline. The gentle act of service made him feel almost dizzy. Hidan always had these strange gestures of kindness or consideration that likely went unnoticed by Hidan himself, but would leave Kakuzu reeling. Not since he was a child with his family had anyone done such nice things for him. From buying dinner, to rubbing his neck, to tying his hair up, Hidan was ready to do whatever he could for Kakuzu without a second thought.</p><p>“Why do you do that?” Kakuzu didn’t realize he’d asked it out loud.</p><p>“Hm?” Hidan said as he finished Kakuzu’s hair. He dropped his hands down and made his way to his stool.</p><p>“Why do you...why do you do things for me?” Kakuzu thought about just recanting the question, but he felt like he needed an answer. He approached the bed but didn’t lay down yet, and he looked to Hidan for his response. His chest felt tight.</p><p>Hidan looked up, applying his black nitrile gloves with effortless muscle memory. He looked up to Kakuzu and shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t know,” Hidan said. “That’s what you do when you like somebody, right?”</p><p>Kakuzu remained standing in front of Hidan who’d already looked away, continuing to prep his machine. He’d already gone into work-mode, moving fast and efficiently. Kakuzu stared as he watched him press down on the machine pedal, soak the needle in ink, reposition his rolling cart with his foot. It was all so fluid, so graceful, all while his own dingy hoodie’s baggy sleeves were rolled up on Hidan’s elbows, revealing those bright tattoos on his forearms. Kakuzu couldn’t understand why he was so enraptured in Hidan’s movements and how he operated. He said nothing while he felt the tightness in his chest start to warm down to his stomach.</p><p>“You good?” Hidan had looked up and tilted his head, brows raised at Kakuzu who still hadn’t laid down yet.</p><p>Kakuzu blinked, and it took a moment, but he looked down and nodded, and moved to position himself on the bed before Hidan. Hidan slowly started prepping his back, and Kakuzu sighed as he got himself in a comfortable position. Like many times before, he had a million things to say, but didn’t have a single word.</p><p> </p><hr/><p> </p><p>As always, Hidan got to work promptly. He was a master, a savant. His professional technique and artistic talent had shifted over his usually obscene and loud behavior. Kakuzu would always be continually impressed by this. Hidan had a special capacity for professionalism in his routine and his ability to incorporate it seamlessly with his creative gifts.</p><p>It was about now that Hidan would normally interrupt Kakuzu’s peace and thoughts about how dignified of an artist Hidan was with some asinine or vulgar attempt at conversation. But he didn’t. He was silent for the most part, only sometimes making a comment to himself under his breath about his technique or mapping. Kakuzu not only expected Hidan’s verbal company, but he missed it - especially now that he was certainly feeling the burn of the needle in his tender skin, causing him to wince occasionally.</p><p>Kakuzu turned his head to face Hidan, unsure of why or when he decided to. He looked up to him from the side of his eye, hoping that Hidan had something to say, especially on their now limited time. Hidan only smiled as he continued his work. It was like Hidan knew he wanted Kakuzu to initiate a conversation with him. Kakuzu closed his eyes, and searched for something nonchalant to bring up.</p><p>“Do you...did you say you never graduated high school?” Kakuzu himself was confused at his random inquiry, but he let it stand anyway.</p><p>Hidan knew the disjointed question wasn’t intended to be awkward, but Kakuzu wasn’t exactly skillful in conversation. He smiled and answered genuinely.</p><p>“No, I dropped out the summer before my last year,” Hidan stated. “Just never went back.”</p><p>“Why?” Kakuzu followed up softly. He’d taken to  staring at Hidan’s knee again, clothed in the ripped and patchy black jeans he’d seen Hidan in the night they first met.</p><p>Hidan dipped in his ink, and sighed.</p><p>“I was seventeen. Living on friends' couches, crashing wherever. I was always in trouble in school. I did a shitty job, bad grades, just didn’t give a fuck. Mom hadn’t been around for years at this point, always fuckin’ doped up,” He restarted on Kakuzu’s back.</p><p>“I was dating this guy - he was older. Lived on the streets too. He sort of, <em> recruited </em> me, taught me to steal, sell drugs, all that shit. He convinced me that school was a waste of my time, and I’d be better off with him, so I dropped out.” Hidan continued on Kakuzu’s back, but paused for a moment. Kakuzu could tell he was searching for the next words.</p><p>“It was only a couple months later when my mom went to jail, and that’s when I had my little meltdown,” Hidan chuckled at this. “I was actually at my sentencing trial when the judge told me that she died out on bond.”</p><p>Kakuzu blinked slowly and thought of how difficult that must have been for someone so young, who was already so emotional and unstable. The powerlessness he must have felt, the overwhelming loneliness. He wondered what happened with the guy he mentioned, who seemed like a bad influence.</p><p>“Did your<em> boyfriend </em> at least come visit you?” Kakuzu tried to say it with as little condescension as possible.</p><p>Hidan’s expression didn’t change.</p><p>“Never saw him again,” He continued shading up near Kakuzu’s shoulders. “When I got picked up by the cops, he never answered the phone. Didn’t have an address to write to. Wasn’t any use to him anymore locked up, I guess.”</p><p>Kakuzu scowled and looked up to Hidan, displeased. Hidan had just explained this older man had taken advantage of him for crime, and then abandoned him in jail after his mother died. He didn’t intend to direct his anger towards the man at Hidan, but this information disgusted him. Hidan could tell.</p><p>“I mean, I don’t blame him,” Hidan justified. “It wasn’t his fault I got myself locked up. I heard he died from a drug overdose about a year into my lock up. That was tough, but that’s life I guess.”</p><p>Kakuzu resumed looking at Hidan’s leg. He was astounded at how Hidan held no malice, no contempt in his heart for someone who’d done something so dishonorable to him. How could Hidan have let someone treat him in such a way. He thought again that he was just a misguided child. He didn’t know any better. It was making Kakuzu a little nauseous to think about, so he digressed.</p><p>“You didn’t get your education in jail? You were still a minor...” Kakuzu more stated than asked.</p><p>Hidan laughed. “After I jacked up their cars and made their security team look like a joke all over the front papers? Not a chance!”</p><p>Kakuzu shifted his eyes back to Hidan. Again, no contempt, no spite. Just a smile on his face, as if he was the one who truly got the upper hand at the end of it all. Hidan had been routinely and intentionally fucked over and discarded by his family, his loved ones, and the system, but he carried nothing but a wide grin and a shrug about it. It seemed juvenile at first, but now it seemed somewhat endearing. Kakuzu wasn’t sure how someone could be that resilient.</p><p>“And you're not interested in getting your education now?” Kakuzu asked him, trying to sound firm. “If you want to be financially stable as you say, that’s a good first step.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, of course I do,” Hidan nodded. “It’s just another thing with the taxes and the IRS and stuff. There’s free programs, but you’ve gotta provide your information and stuff - it’s all a fucking mess.”</p><p>Kakuzu listened as Hidan continued to elaborate.</p><p>“I mean, being off the grid has its perks and all but, I told you before, it’s not how I want to live.” He chuckled again at his miserly situation. “I don’t have credit cards, a bank account, my phone isn’t even in my name!”</p><p>Kakuzu knew that Hidan had always been on the streets, someone who only dealt in cash. He’d been the same way for some time, and that resonated with him. But now Hidan was a licensed professional, a respected artist, and he couldn’t even have a debit card? He knew Hidan’s business and living situation were off the books, but he was just now realizing how deep it went.</p><p>“How did you manage to survive without basic things like that?” Kakuzu squinted as he was absolutely astounded at Hidan’s lifestyle.</p><p>Hidan withdrew from the tattoo for a moment to dip in his ink, and looked down to Kakuzu. “I was right back on the streets before I came here like three years ago.”</p><p>Kakuzu blinked, forgetting how young Hidan was for a moment, and how all this jail and street business was that recent.</p><p>“Pain took me in,” Hidan elaborated. “He knew me as a hustler from around the area, he knows everything and everyone. He knew I did art too, thought it would be beneficial to both of us financially to get me in here. Without him I probably would have died or gotten killed out there. Now I’ve got a place to live doing what I love with my friends. They took me in, no questions asked. Kisame taught me everything I know.”</p><p>There was a pause as Hidan spoke kindly of Kisame and his boss.</p><p>“There’s plenty of good people in the world, you just can’t let the shitty ones let you miss out on them.”</p><p>Kakuzu repeated Hidan’s statement over in his head a few times, but realized he still didn’t get a straight answer.</p><p>“But how?” Kakuzu asked. “How did you take care of yourself before you were here?”</p><p>“Well,” Hidan sighed before laughing. “I didn’t do a very good job, that’s for sure. I definitely stole more than I’d like to admit, and I got in fights constantly.”</p><p>“Fights?” Kakuzu asked. “That sounds rather juvenile.”</p><p>“Says the grown ass man who punched me in my nose two days ago.” Hidan jabbed.</p><p>Kakuzu sighed, less angry and more resentful of that night, but mostly at himself. Hidan caught on to this, and brushed it off.</p><p>“I’m just messing with you,” Hidan laughed. “I’ve been hit in the head more times than I can count, by friends, family, my boyfriend.” </p><p>Kakuzu twisted his head around to look at him. “Your boyfriend?” He asked sternly.</p><p>“Yeah,” Hidan nodded. “Well, a different one - after I got out of jail. He had a bad temper, and I did what I could to do what he wanted and stuff, but I always seemed to get on his bad side, especially when we were drinking.”</p><p>“He hit you?” Kakuzu reiterated the question differently.</p><p>“Yeah, I definitely got my ass beat a few times,” Hidan smirked. “But you know how that shit goes.”</p><p>Kakuzu did not know how that shit goes. Well, maybe he did, but he did not understand Hidan’s normalization and dismissal in the vague remark.</p><p>“Are you still in contact with this person?” Kakuzu demanded, tilting his head around more.</p><p>“Hey, sit still,” Hidan pulled back, and looked at Kakuzu who was still insisting on an answer. “Hell no, he bounced years ago. I told him I wasn’t gonna buy him booze anymore after he threw a bottle at my head - that’s how I got this little scar on my ear.”</p><p>Kakuzu watched Hidan turn his head to show him. He hadn’t noticed it among the several silver earrings he wore. It was more than just a little scar.</p><p>“It’s all good, he’s old news.” Hidan assured as Kakuzu slowly repositioned his head back on the bed. Hidan resumed working and Kakuzu closed his eyes for a moment.</p><p>Not one, but two assholes had been cruel to him. Hidan was a moron, an antagonist with a serious attitude problem, but he wasn’t...bad. He was not someone who outright deserved cruelty or violence. These men sounded horrible to Kakuzu, shady and disgraceful, the type of men he never had any qualms with snuffing out before. He tried to diffuse his building tension, and wondered why Hidan had so many destructive people in his past.</p><p>“And I suppose you stopped...associating with those types of people after that?” Kakuzu almost scolded him, hoping he’d give the answer that he wanted.</p><p>Hidan laughed. “Well, not exactly.”</p><p>Kakuzu sighed and closed his eyes as he felt a knot in his stomach. He didn’t like where this was going at all.</p><p>“I mean, we split last year.” Hidan started, but there was something else in his voice this time. “It was the first time somebody told me they wanted what I wanted. A family, a house, the real deal. I started trying to get my shit together. I saved up a bunch of money so I could hire somebody to help me with the books. Ya know, buy my own car, open up a bank account, get it all together, do shit right, do it all for him.”</p><p>Kakuzu gazed at Hidan who was deep in concentration as he worked. He could feel his own heartbeat against the bed as Hidan continued.</p><p>“Wasn’t going to his standards. Didn’t meet up to expectations. Came home one night, and he was gone. Took everything I saved up for us.”</p><p>Kakuzu’s jaw tightened and his tendons flexed, his brows knotting together. He was having more trouble now not directing his anger toward Hidan.</p><p>“Well maybe you don’t have the best judgement in partners.” Kakuzu didn’t mean to sound as angry as he did but he couldn’t help it.</p><p>“<em> Tch </em>, you got that right.” Hidan agreed with a laugh.</p><p>“How can you just brush it off?” Kakuzu wasn’t pleased with Hidan’s concurrence. “How do you just let people continue to take advantage of you?”</p><p>Hidan went silent, and continued working. His smile was still on his face, but it was stale and melancholy. He wasn’t hurt by Kakuzu’s words, but he was familiar with them. He could tell Hidan had heard them before, and probably asked himself those same questions plenty of times.</p><p>Hidan took a deep breath. He set down his machine and set out to wipe down some of the excess ink from Kakuzu’s back. The alcohol stung his skin and he grimaced for a moment as he got used to the feeling. Hidan broke his brief silence.</p><p>“When you grow up with nothing. When you live on the street, and you don’t have a bed or a fridge with food in it. When your mom is too strung out to give a shit about where you are anymore, when you’re on your own and have to fight for fuckin’ everything, even when you’re just a kid…You dream of shit most people don’t even give a fuck about. Like getting mail, taking out the trash, walking the fucking dog…”</p><p>Hidan laughed a bit at himself, recalling his own desperation for such basic domestic responsibilities.</p><p>“Waking up every day on a floor or under a bridge even, with nothing - no money, no food. The only thing that you’ve got is hope - a fucking dream. It sounds lame, but when you’re a kid, who’s tired and hungry and <em> angry </em>, all it takes is for somebody to tell you they want that dream too. And they’ll help you get it. And that they’ll get it with you.”</p><p>He continued to wipe down Kakuzu’s sore back as gently as he could.</p><p>“And you’ll do anything for it. You pretend you like these people who are all honestly fucking assholes - who hit you, and use you, and steal from you. All because you have this dumb idea that if you work hard enough, give them enough, your stupid dream will come true because you’ve got somebody who wants that shit too.”</p><p>Hidan turned and put the ink-stained towels in the nearby trash, still not meeting eyes with Kakuzu. He spoke with his hands, staring off to nothing as if he were talking to himself again.</p><p>“But it’s never enough. You try your best, but it won’t matter - ‘cause bad people have a funny way of finding kids who need something. Some people will tell you anything to get what they want. Some people are just here to take what they can, and leave.”</p><p>Kakuzu watched as Hidan turned back around, rolling his stool back to his position by Kakuzu. Hidan finally met Kakuzu’s eyes - eyes that were still gentle and almost forgiving. Hidan reached out and carefully brushed the few strands of dark hair draped over Kakuzu’s brow back. He tucked them behind Kakuzu’s ear with the back of his black-gloved fingers, and withdrew his hand after the quick gesture.</p><p>“In the end, I feel bad for ‘em, ya know? They’ll be fuckin' miserable forever, nobody to blame but themselves.”</p><p>Hidan smiled and blinked while Kakuzu stayed still. Kakuzu was still outright astonished at Hidan’s dismissal, nearly pardoning of the behavior of men he cared for - people he trusted. As if it were simply in the nature of others to hurt people with no consequence. He darted his eyes around Hidan’s face, lips parted, unable to think of what exactly he wanted to say. It didn’t matter because he spoke up before Kakuzu could.</p><p>“Time sure does fly when you’re having fun - you’re all done, stud. Take a look.”</p><p>Kakuzu blinked, surprised at the abrupt conclusion of their final session. He lifted his body up on his elbows and slowly maneuvered his sore body to swing his legs down to the floor. Hidan turned to quickly break down his set-up and machine, and Kakuzu stretched his tight muscles. An odd sensation of both relief from pain and concern for the unknown took over as their time together was quickly closing, much quicker than he thought. There was so much he wanted to say, so much he was still processing. He swallowed down the whiplash as he turned to view his back in the mirror.</p><p>His thoughts were centered as he laid eyes on his now completed back-piece. Hidan wasn’t boasting when he said it would all come together. What Kakuzu wore on his back was more masterpiece than tattoo. It was a monument of completion for him. His last stop. It marked the end of a journey. It was here in this moment that his collection became complete. It was nothing short of breathtaking to behold, a spectacular work of art he would carry with him until he died.</p><p>Kakuzu heard Hidan snap off his gloves and toss them in the trash. He moved to join him in the mirror, and stood facing his chest. Kakuzu could see his face over his left shoulder. He was reminded again that this journey also ended with Hidan.</p><p>“Do you see how I brought in all of those stitches? Wound them around the masks?” Hidan indicated by pointing at a few of them.</p><p>Kakuzu nodded as he admired the inclusion of the details.</p><p>“And see how I worked into your sides and up the backs of your arms to connect everything?” Hidan asked standing just a bit closer, speaking softer. Kakuzu could feel his breath on his bare shoulder. Despite the significant discomfort in his back, Hidan’s warm voice was all he could feel.</p><p>Kakuzu nodded, slow and shallow, and his eyes met with Hidan again in the mirror.</p><p>“Do you like it?” Hidan asked as he leaned forward and rested his chin on Kakuzu’s shoulder with a smile. “You happy?”</p><p>Kakuzu nodded again, but only at the first question. He was certainly pleased with Hidan’s completed work, but he wasn’t happy. He was anxious, let down and confused. He didn’t know how to say he didn’t want this to end. He didn’t even know what<em> this </em>was. The shop was empty and quiet with just the two of them, but the silence in the studio now consumed him.</p><p>“Come upstairs with me.” Hidan asked abruptly more as a request than an invitation.</p><p>Kakuzu turned from the mirror and looked down to Hidan in front of him. Hidan pulled back from his shoulder, but still stood quite close.</p><p>“I’ve still got to get some pictures ya know, lighting up there’s great.” He spoke again, this time, that devious grin and prying eyes raking over Kakuzu’s chest.</p><p>Kakuzu swallowed when Hidan’s eyes met his own. They weren’t conniving or bratty like Hidan normally wore them when he wanted something from Kakuzu - they were almost sweet. It made Kakuzu’s stomach warm, and he nodded yet again at Hidan’s proposition, grateful for whenever Hidan chose the right words for him.</p><p>“Sound good?” Hidan asked again as he grinned, wanting a verbal response from Kakuzu this time.</p><p>“Yeah…” Kakuzu said again, disengaging their stare to move to the armchair to grab his belongings. He realized it’d been a few hours but he wasn’t sure how much daylight would be left for natural light for pictures. “What time is it?”</p><p>“It’s like 4:00pm, told you we got done early” Hidan was quickly picking up the rest of his belongings and grabbed his keys. “Enough time to grab some pics before the sun goes down, maybe chill, I’ll get us some dinner.”</p><p>“No.” Kakuzu looked back to Hidan again, who had his arm full of belongings, ready to head upstairs.</p><p>“No?” Hidan asked, tilting his head in bated confusion.</p><p>“No - I’m getting dinner.” Kakuzu turned and headed out the door, still shirtless with his jacket over his arm. He spoke it as if it were obvious, almost offended that Hidan would suggest anything else.</p><p>Hidan smirked and followed.</p><p>“Well, if you insist.”</p>
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